The Eurovision Song Contest is increasingly confronted with demands for a boycott following Israel’s unveiling of its representative earlier this week, as reported by the Independent newspaper yesterday.
Israel’s representative for the event has been announced as Eden Golan, who clinched the spot after her rendition of Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” dedicated to Israeli prisoners held by the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza. According to the Independent, Golan, born in Israel but raised in Russia, would mark the country’s 46th appearance in the competition, making Israel the first non-European entrant in the competition’s history when it joined in 1973.
However, amidst the ongoing Israeli actions in Gaza, the song contest organizers are facing increasing pressure to remove Israel from the competition.
The Icelandic Association of Composers and Lyricists voiced its call last month for Israel to be suspended from the EuroVision competition, stating that its participation in an event characterized by joy and optimism would be incongruous with its military actions.
As per Gaza’s Ministry of Health, the ongoing Israeli actions in Gaza since October 7 have resulted in 27,947 Palestinian deaths and 67,459 injuries, with at least 8,000 individuals presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip. Palestinian and international organizations assert that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
Iceland’s association mentioned they would oppose their country’s participation unless Israel is disqualified, with a petition amassing over 10,000 signatures, as reported by the British newspaper.
The condemnation extends beyond Iceland, with musicians from multiple countries, including Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, calling for Israel’s exclusion from the competition.
The campaign, bolstered by Danish and Norwegian musicians along with Swedish artists like Robyn, Fever Ray, and First Aid King, accuses Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza.
In response, the contest organizer, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), asserted that the Eurovision Song Contest is a competition for public service broadcasters and remains non-political. However, recent events, including the banning of Russia in 2022 following its military action in Ukraine, call these claims into question.
Dr. Ramzy Baroud, a Palestinian academic and author, criticized the normalization of Israel by Western institutions, labeling them as enablers of Israeli propaganda. He stressed the importance of moral stances in the face of atrocities like the war on Gaza.
The Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to take place in Malmo, Sweden, in May this year.