EDITOR – I am writing to express my strong disagreement with Israel’s threat to pull out of the Eurovision Song Contest if its entry is vetoed by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
I believe that Israel should not be included in this year’s Eurovision for several reasons.
Israel does not share the values of peace, democracy and human rights that the Eurovision is supposed to promote.
Israel is an occupying power that violates international law and the rights of the Palestinian people on a daily basis.
Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, have been condemned by the United Nations, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the international community as illegal, discriminatory and inhumane.
Israel’s participation in the Eurovision is a form of cultural whitewashing that attempts to distract from its crimes and atrocities.
Israel uses the Eurovision as a platform to present itself as a normal and progressive state, while ignoring the suffering and oppression of the Palestinians.
Israel’s inclusion in the Eurovision is a double standard that contradicts the EBU’s own rules and principles.
The EBU has banned Russia from participating in the Eurovision in 2022 and 2023 for its indiscriminate targeting of civilians in Ukraine.
The EBU has also disqualified entries that contained political messages or symbols that could offend or provoke viewers.
The EBU cannot turn a blind eye to Israel’s aggression and oppression of the Palestinians.
Therefore, it is my hope that the EBU will veto Israel’s entry and exclude Israel from the Eurovision until it ends its occupation and respects the rights of the Palestinians.
This would send a clear message that the Eurovision is not a platform for legitimising or normalising Israel’s violations, but a celebration of diversity, solidarity and justice.
Evie Nevin, Knocks, Clonakilty.
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