The VRT has backed the call from Spanish, Irish, and Icelandic public broadcasters to debate Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, the broadcaster announced on Friday evening.
The public broadcaster had previously expressed concerns and raised questions with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), although it currently adheres to the EBU’s stance that the contest remains a ‘non-political event’.
Spokeswoman Yasmine Van der Borght clarified on Friday that the VRT sent a letter to the EBU in late April, supporting Spain’s proposal. On 11 April, Spanish public broadcaster RTVE demanded a debate about the Israeli broadcaster KAN’s participation in the contest, a motion already supported by Irish and Icelandic public broadcasters.
Israel is sending Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the brutal Hamas attack at the Nova music festival, to represent them. The attack resulted in 370 deaths, and Raphael survived by hiding under bodies for hours. Critics claim Israel is once again opting for a subtle political message with Raphael’s song, ‘A New Day Will Rise’, which expresses resilience through lyrics in English, French, and Hebrew, incorporating biblical verses.
Furthermore, over 70 former Eurovision participants have signed an open letter calling for Israel’s exclusion from the competition. Notably, the Flemish-Turkish singer Hadise, who represented Turkey in 2009 with the song ‘Düm Tek Tek’, supports the boycott.
Last year, thousands protested against Israel’s participation in Malmö, and with new relaxed flag policies allowing Palestinian flags in the audience, this year’s edition may once again face significant controversy.
