As in 2024, a new wave of calls for the exclusion of Israel of the competition – Liberation

“I personally think that it is not logical that Israel participates in this edition. And Eurovision in general, right now.»Nemo, winner of the 2024 edition of Eurovisionspoke Thursday, May 8, in an interview given to HuffPost UK. « I don’t know if I want to go into details, but I would say that I do not support the fact that Israel is part of the competition currently. »

Big winner in Malmö, Sweden, with his song The codethe non-binary artist says clearly to support “The appeal to the exclusion of Israel of the Eurovision of song competition. Israel’s actions Fundamentally go against the values ​​that Eurovision claims to defend – peace, unity and respect for human rights ”.

Before Iel, 72 personalities from the Eurovision world have signed an appeal to exclude the Hebrew state from the competition, published in the British media The Telegraph. The letter was signed in particular by two former winners: the Irishman Charlie McGettigan (winner in 1994) and the Portuguese Fernando Tordo (winner in 1973). Also by several former French candidates: Marie Line (in 1998), Jessy Matador (2010) and Marie Line (2023).

The signatories denounce the involvement of Israel in « The Palestinian genocide in Gaza » and accuse the European Union of Radiation (UER) of « Normalize your crimes ». They also regret a form of « Two weights, two measurements »recalling that « The UER has already shown that he was able to make decisions, as when she excluded Russia from competition ». The protesters also ask for the exclusion of Israeli television Kanthat they accuse of being « accomplice » of a « Apartheid regime and military occupation in progress for several decades against the Palestinian people »from the UER.

Martin Green, director of the Eurovision competition, replied in The Telegraph :: « The UER remains aligned with the other international organizations which have currently made the decision to continue to include Israeli candidates in the most important competitions ». “We understand concerns about the conflict that currently takes place in the Middle East. The UER is an association of broadcaster of public service (…) It is also our mission to secure the future of public service. The UER supports its Israeli member Kan who is threatened with being privatized or even closed by the Israeli government. ”

On Wednesday, it was the Irish public broadcaster who in turn asked the UER to open the debate on the participation of Israel in the Eurovision of the song. In a press release, the director general of the Irish channel Rté, Kevin Bakhurst, said « Dark by the events underway in the Middle East, by the horrible impact on civilians in Gaza and by the fate of Israeli hostages ».

The Israeli candidate, Yuval Raphael, herself survived by the terrorist attack of October 7 by Hamas, is presented as one of the favorites of the competition. She interprets New Day Will Rise (A new day will get up), a ballad in English, Hebrew and French on survival after tragedy. As a reminder, the 2024 edition, organized in Malmö in Sweden, had already been particularly tense due to the war in Gaza and the presence of the Israeli singer Eden Golan.