Israel will compete at Eurovision Song Contest despite boycott threats
Israel will take part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, the organisers have said, despite calls for the country to be banned from the event because of ongoing events in Gaza.
“The Eurovision Song Contest is a competition for public service broadcasters from across Europe and the Middle East," a spokesperson told ITV News.
"It is a competition for broadcasters – not governments – and the Israeli public broadcaster has participated in the Contest for 50 years.
"These bodies have reviewed the participants list and agreed that the Israeli public broadcaster KAN meets all the competition rules and can participate in the Contest next year in Malmö, Sweden, alongside 36 other broadcasters."
The European Broadcasting Union, which runs the Eurovision Song Contest in partnership with each nation's broadcasters, said that its stance was "aligned with other international organisations, including sports unions" which have also "maintained their inclusive stance towards Israeli participants."
The Icelandic Association of Composers and Lyricists (FTT) said on Facebook it had contacted Iceland's public broadcaster saying the country should not compete in the Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is allowed to compete in Malmo in 2024.
“We all have a duty to take a stand against war and the killing of civilians and innocent children," the FTT said.
Even before active fighting broke out between Hamas and Israel following the terrorist group's attacks in southern Israel on October 7, Israel has faced backlash over its place in the Eurovision Song Contest.
In 2019, when the contest was held in Tel Aviv after Israel won the previous year, the Icelandic competitors held up Palestinian flags during the live show, which was met with booing from the audience.
The Icelandic broadcaster RUV was then fined 5,000 euros (£4,330) by the EBU for breaking its 'no politics' rule.
Similarly there were calls for countries to avoid the Tel Aviv-hosted event, with the Boycott, Divestments, Sanctions protest group describing Israel's hosting as an attempt to "whitewash and distract attention" from the country's treatment of Palestinians.
Public figures including Stephen Fry, Sharon Osborne and Kiss band member Gene Simmons then signed a letter speaking out against the proposed boycott, saying that it wasn't in the "spirit of togetherness" promoted by the Eurovision Song Contest.
"The Eurovision Song Contest remains a non-political event that unites audiences worldwide through music,” organisers told ITV News.
The petitions to ban Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest echo those made about Russia in 2022.
Russia was banned from competing last year following its invasion of Ukraine, who subsequently won the competition with their act Kalush Orchestra.
On security, the Eurovision Song Contest organisers did not specify that any additional measures would be taken in light of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
"The security standards at the Contest are akin to that of airport security and the EBU and Host Broadcaster works very closely with local authorities and partners to take the greatest of care to keep everyone who is part of this event, safe."
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…