Spain’s public broadcasting network RTVE has reached out to the European Broadcasting Union, which manages the Eurovision song contest, to “request a debate on the participation of Israeli public television” broadcaster KAN.
The broadcaster has “concerns that the situation in Gaza and the participation of KAN public television are raising within Spanish civil society,” per AFP.
If KAN is prevented from participating, there will be no Israeli performer competing in Eurovision. The 2024 contest saw protests against Israeli singer Eden Golan, who sang Hurricane. She finished 5th in the contest that year.
Climate activist turned anti-Israel protester Greta Thunberg took to the streets of Malmo, Sweden, where last year’s event was held, to state her belief that Israel should not have been permitted to be part of the contest.
“I’m here to show we think it is outrageous and inexcusable for Eurovision to let Israel participate while committing a genocide,” Thunberg said.
Ireland’s Eurovision contestant Bambie Thug also protested Israeli’s inclusion. Bambie Thug claimed she was “special” because she’s “queer” and a “witch.”
Protesters stood outside venues where Golan performed to demonstrate against the war in Israel. That war began when Hamas massacred 1,200 people and kidnapped over 200, 59 of whom—both living and dead—are still being held by that terror group in Gaza.
Golan was made to change her lyrics to avoid reference to that attack and if Israel is permitted to participate. Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack on the Nova music festival, will represent Israel in Basel.
Raphael, who will sing New Day Will Rise, lay motionless for seven hours covered in blood after the attack on Nova. “I decided I wasn’t going to live my life with PTSD. I wanted to turn my pain into something meaningful,” Raphael said.
The 2025 contest is set for Basel, Switzerland, and is one of the world’s largest television events. Nations across Europe are part of the event as is Australia. The semi-finals will be broadcast on May 13 and 15 while the final is slated for May 17.
“It would be appropriate for the EBU to recognize the existence of this debate and provide a forum for discussion between EBU member broadcasters on the participation of Israeli public television,” a statement from RTVE read.
Finland’s public broadcaster also received complaints, including one petition signed by over “500 music and culture industry professionals,” and another signed by 10,000 members of the public.
Eurovision addressed similar complaints in 2024 and said, “We understand that people will want to engage in debate and express their deeply held views on this matter. We have all been affected by the images, stories, and the unquestionable pain suffered by those in Israel and in Gaza.”
The spokesperson went on to say that Eurovision “firmly opposes any form of online abuse, hate speech, or harassment directed at our artists or any individuals associated with the contest.”
This Story originally came from humanevents.com