Madrid (AFP) – Spain’s public broadcaster said on Friday it has called for a “debate” over Israel’s participation in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland due to “concerns” over the situation in war-torn Gaza.
RTVE has sent a letter to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which manages the event, “requesting a debate on the participation of Israeli public television (KAN)” in the contest, the Spanish public broadcaster said in a statement.
The Swiss city of Basel will host the glitzy annual extravaganza – one of the world’s biggest live television events which involves countries from Europe to Australia – at the St. Jakobshalle indoor arena, with the semi-finals on May 13 and 15, and the final on May 17.
Public broadcasters of participating nations select the candidate which will represent them, so the absence of KAN would mean there is no Israeli performer at this year’s event.
RTVE said it “reiterates its support” for Eurovision “but also acknowledges the concerns that the situation in Gaza and the participation of KAN public television are raising within Spanish civil society”.
“It would be appropriate for the EBU to recognise the existence of this debate and provide a forum for discussion between EBU member broadcasters on the participation of Israeli public television,” the statement added.
How many other non European countries take part in Eurovision?
Australia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia. Morocco has also participated once, and Lebanon was set to compete at one point, but withdrew because they couldn’t broadcast the Israeli performance.
Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan are a little borderline. But I’ll give you its fucking weird for Australia.
It’s a cultural thing
they’re not culturally similar I tell you
Pretty sure by cultural he just means mostly White