More than 70 former Eurovision contestants have signed an open letter demanding the disqualification of both Israel’s national broadcaster, Kan, and its 2025 contestant, Yuval Raphael.
It’s a campaign that looks a lot like targeted harassment—echoing the disgraceful treatment of last year’s Israeli entrant, Eden Golan, who was forced to wear a wig to conceal her identity while competing in Malmö, Sweden.
The letter—endorsed by the likes of last year’s Irish contestant Bambi Thug and several former winners—piously claims that Eurovision 2024 was “the most politicised, chaotic and unpleasant in the competition’s history.” That they can make this claim while leading the charge in politicising it would be laughable if it weren’t so brazen.
Bear in mind, this is the same Bambi Thug who went on a media tour critiquing Golan’s participation, then accused Israeli media of “targeting” her—because, apparently, coverage is now persecution. She even said she cried when she learned Golan had made the finals. Not exactly the apolitical spirit of Eurovision, is it?
The open letter, addressed to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), accuses Israel of “genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza” and “a decades-long regime of apartheid and military occupation.” It claims that Israel’s presence in the competition is tantamount to the EBU “normalizing and whitewashing its crimes.”
But here's what the letter doesn’t mention: Yuval Raphael, Israel’s contestant this year, is a survivor of the October 7 Nova Music Festival massacre—when Hamas terrorists slaughtered hundreds of people and abducted dozens more. Raphael arrived in Basel, Switzerland, this week to take part in the opening stages of the contest—flanked by security guards and targeted by protesters.
Eurovision’s director, Martin Green, eventually issued a response—belated and mealy-mouthed as ever. He claimed that “no broadcaster had publicly opposed” Israel’s participation (a distinction without a difference, given that broadcasters from Ireland, Spain, and Slovenia had requested a “discussion”).
Green added, in his best PR tone:
“The EBU is not immune to global events but, together, with our members, it is our role to ensure the contest remains – at its heart – a universal event that promotes connections, diversity and inclusion through music. We all aspire to keep the Eurovision Song Contest positive and inclusive and aspire to show the world as it could be, rather than how it necessarily is.”
A lovely sentiment—if only the EBU actually embodied it. Last year, they did next to nothing to defend Eden Golan from relentless abuse. This year, they’re watching the same playbook unfold.
Swiss police have now opened an investigation after a man was filmed threatening the Israeli delegation during the official Turquoise Carpet ceremony, which marked the opening of Eurovision week. Protesters waving PLO flags and keffiyehs surrounded the Israeli team; one man was caught on video making a throat-slitting gesture and spitting at them.
This isn’t protest. It’s intimidation.
And if Eurovision truly stood for “diversity and inclusion,” it wouldn’t stay silent when its only Jewish contestant needs a security detail to walk a carpet.
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