Israel has brought “Eurovision” to a serious crisis, putting its future in question.

A new conflict has been added to the Eurovision contestants: in some countries, a boycott is brewing if Israel is allowed to participate in the event. This is reported by the newspaper “Politico”. The contest is scheduled for May 2024, but disputes have already intensified around Israel’s role in this event.

Disputes about Israel’s participation

Increasing dissatisfaction is caused by Israel’s participation in Eurovision against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. A number of European countries are protesting against this move, demanding the exclusion of the Jewish state from cultural events, including the “non-political” song contest.

On the other side of the conflict are those who believe that restricting international cultural activities could lead to a rise in anti-Semitism. In this context, Eurovision director Martin Green spoke about ongoing consultations with members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) regarding maintaining political neutrality at the contest.

Experts’ opinions

Eurovision experts, including Paul Jordan, known as “Doctor Eurovision,” emphasize that geopolitical tension poses a serious threat to the contest, unprecedented in its history.

Several countries, including Slovenia, Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands, have already stated that they will refuse to participate in the contest if Israel takes the lead. Politico views this situation as a potential crisis within the EBU, as Spain holds one of the leading financial positions in the organization.

The position of some states

Despite the protests, a number of countries, particularly Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Malta, have declared their readiness to participate in the contest regardless of the decision on the status of the Israeli performer. The Israeli public broadcaster KAN has also confirmed preparations for Eurovision participation, following all established rules.

Historical precedents

Not long ago, the EBU decided to exclude Russia from participating in Eurovision in 2022 amid the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This incident serves as a reminder of the complex link between politics and culture that the contest embodies.

The dynamics of disputes around Eurovision and Israel’s participation in programming remain a subject of discussion among European countries for a long time. Events are developing rapidly, and raising questions of political self-identification through melodies can have long-term consequences.