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Europe

Spain’s public broadcaster calls for ‘debate’ over Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision

2025-04-12

[IsraelTimes] Spanish civil society has ‘concerns,’ due to war in Gaza, about Israel’s participation in annual song contest, writes Spanish RTVE network in letter to European Broadcasting Union

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
...home of the Helvetians, famous for cheese, watches, yodeling, and William Tell...
due to "concerns" over the situation in war-torn Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks....
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 Europa
...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum...
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 recognize 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.

Spain has been one of the most anti-Israel countries in Europe since the October 7, 2023, Hamas
Hamas

..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",...
attack against Israel that sparked the war, recognizing a Paleostinian state in a move Israel says is a reward for terrorism.

Compare to just a few years ago, when Spain invited those who could prove their lineal descent from Jews expelled from Spain in 1492 to apply for citizenship. What changed?

Thousands protested at last year’s contest in the Swedish city of Malmo over Israel’s participation against the backdrop of the war between Israel and the Hamas terror group in Gaza. Israeli competitor Eden Golan had to change her lyrics over apparent references to the deadly Hamas assault. She finished fifth in the competition.

A survivor of the attack will represent Israel in Basel this year. When Lions of Islam killed more than 370 people at the Nova music festival, Yuval Raphael survived by hiding under a pile of bodies. She said she would be ready to face the kind of hostility Golan did.

Eurovision organizers shun Spanish request to hold debate on Israel’s participation
EBU notes ‘concerns and deeply held views regarding the conflict in the Middle East’ but says all members will participate in song contest

Update from the Times of Israel at 3:50 p.m. ET:

Eurovision organizers shun Spanish request to hold debate on Israel’s participation. EBU notes ‘concerns and deeply held views regarding the conflict in the Middle East’ but says all members will participate in song contest.

Posted by:trailing wife

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