Spain wants debate on ESC exclusion of Israel
Spain is calling for a debate on Israel's participation in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in Basel. Against the backdrop of Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip, the head of the Spanish television and radio broadcaster (RTVE), José Pablo López, asked the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) for an open discussion about Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in May. This is reported by several Spanish media outlets.
Yuval Raphael Survivor of Hamas Massacre
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) usually strictly ensures that the ESC competition remains as unpolitical as possible. However, Israel intends to send the 24-year-old singer Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, as its representative to Basel.
At that time, the Palestinian terrorist militia attacked the Nova music festival in the Israeli border area with the Gaza Strip. The attack, in which around 350 people were killed at the festival alone and dozens more were taken hostage, was the trigger for the ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which has already claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinians.
Human rights organizations and the international community accuse Israel of war crimes and genocide in this context. Last November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague also issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for possible crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Spain among "Big Five" Countries at ESC
In this context, an open discussion about the participation or exclusion of the Israeli state broadcaster KAN is important and appropriate, according to the Spanish RTVE channel head José Pablo López. In December, the Slovenian broadcaster RTVSLO also called for the exclusion of Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
With Spain, for the first time, one of the so-called "Big Five" countries has expressed itself on such a course of action. The "Big Five" include, in addition to Spain, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy, whose state broadcasters are among the largest financial contributors to the Eurovision Song Contest. These nations have a special status at the ESC, which qualifies them directly for the final, taking place this year in Basel on May 17.
Israel with "New Day Will Rise"
In Basel, the Israeli Yuval Raphael wants to present a song called "New Day Will Rise" in the same ESC semi-final as Austria's representative JJ on May 15, which stands for "hope and healing." "For me, this song represents the healing we all need and the confidence in better days. It speaks of our strength, our shared hope, of the support and love we feel in this country."
The European Broadcasting Union has already approved the lyrics and music video. However, the boos and the renewed politicization of the song contest are practically pre-programmed with the participation of the survivor of the Hamas massacre. In her song, Raphael processes her horrific experiences during the Hamas attack on the Nova Rave Festival, where she hid for hours in the so-called "death bunker" from the terrorists under corpses.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.