The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organizing body of the Eurovision Song Contest, has issued a statement asking not to harass singers to speak out about Israel, upon detecting increasing forms of abuse and incitement to hate online against participants from several countries. and after the Israeli representative, Eden Golan, has received death threats on her Instagram account. With one month left until the Eurovision final in Malmö (Sweden) and with the war in Gaza ongoing for half a year that has caused thousands of Palestinian deaths, most of them civilians, the controversy over Israel’s participation in the musical contest intensifies. .
“The European Broadcasting Union recognizes the depth of feelings and strong opinions provoked this year by the Eurovision Song Contest, against the backdrop of a terrible war in the Middle East,” the EBU said in its statement on Tuesday. . We understand that people want to participate in the debate and express their deepest opinions on this matter. “We have all been affected by the images, the stories and the unquestionable pain suffered by those in Israel and Gaza.”
“While we strongly support freedom of expression and the right to express opinions in a democratic society, we strongly oppose any form of online abuse, hate speech or harassment directed at our artists or anyone associated with the contest,” the statement continued. EBU, who remembers that the decision to accept the participation of either country, singer or musical group falls exclusively on the governing bodies of the EBU – an organization that brings together European public television and other associates, such as the Israeli KAN – and the artists have no influence on it.
The EBU has insisted that Israel participates because the festival “is a television contest, not a government contest,” and because it is “an apolitical event,” and separates its case from that of Russia, which was expelled two years ago due to the invasion. on a large scale in Ukraine. The EBU maintained a tug-of-war with KAN regarding the political nature of the lyrics of the two songs initially presented, which ended with the acceptance of the last proposal, Hurricane.
“We urge everyone to engage in respectful and constructive dialogue and support the artists who work tirelessly – in what is a music and entertainment show – to share their music with the world,” the EBU claims in its statement.
Israel’s participation divides the artists and followers of the veteran contest. At the end of March, ten representatives called in a joint note on social networks for a ceasefire in the Strip and the release of the hostages captured by Hamas on October 7, while declaring themselves united against hatred, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.
“We want to start by recognizing the privilege we have of being part of Eurovision. In light of the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza, as well as in Israel, we do not feel comfortable being silent. It is important for us to stand in solidarity with the oppressed and communicate our sincere desire for peace,” wrote the representatives of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, San Marino and Switzerland.
Last January, musicians from several countries, especially a thousand in host Sweden and others from Nordic countries such as Finland and Iceland, called for their exclusion. Around the same time, more than 400 creators from the entertainment industry signed a letter of support for Israel’s presence at Eurovision this year, including actress Helen Mirren, musician Gene Simmons and singer Boy George.
The Gaza Strip has been the scene of a devastating war between Israel and Hamas since October 7, 2023. The Hamas attack that day resulted in the death of 1,170 Israelis, most of them civilians, and the kidnapping of more than 250 people. , of which 129 remain held in Gaza and 34 have died, according to the official Israeli count. The Israeli military response has caused 33,207 deaths, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.
