 |
| Lucas Dahlström / Yle |
A total of 537 people signed an open letter addressed to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), formally submitted by Hashtag Eurovision on behalf of all signatories, ahead of the organisation’s General Assembly scheduled for today, 4th of December.
In the letter, the signatories call for the end of Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, arguing that the competition cannot remain neutral in the face of alleged human rights violations. The document reflects on Eurovision as a space of cultural diversity, shared memory and emotional connection, while accusing the contest’s leadership of moving away from its ethical responsibilities.
The text draws parallels with Russia’s ban from Eurovision in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine, and accuses Israel of occupation, oppression and the killing of civilians, referencing estimates of Palestinian child casualties. The authors state they refuse to accept what they describe as the use of Eurovision for propaganda or image laundering.
The letter also expresses support for broadcasters RTVSLO (Slovenia), RTÉ (Ireland), AVROTROS (Netherlands), RÚV (Iceland), and RTVE (Spain) for publicly questioning Israel’s participation in the contest.
In an official reply sent to Hashtag Eurovision, the EBU’s communications team confirmed receipt of the letter and stated that members meeting at the General Assembly on 4 December will be asked to assess a recently announced package of measures and safeguards for the Eurovision Song Contest.
According to the EBU, only if these measures are deemed insufficient will a formal vote on participation take place, with the organisation also committing to inform the public of the outcome of the discussion.
