The European Broadcasting Union has responded to a letter from RTVE requesting the opening of a debate within EBU on Israel’s Eurovision participation.
The Spanish broadcaster RTVE sent a letter on April 11 to the EBU calling for a debate regarding Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. RTVE said in its statement that it is acknowledging “the concerns raised by various civil society groups in Spain regarding the situation in Gaza.” Furthermore, the broadcaster added they feel it would be “appropriate” for the EBU’s members to debate whether the Israeli broadcaster, KAN, should be allowed to compete at the contest.
The European Broadcasting Union has responded with the following statement:
We welcome RTVE confirming their commitment to the Eurovision Song Contest and appreciate there are concerns and deeply held views around the current conflict in the Middle East.
All Members of the EBU are eligible to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest and we remain in constant contact with those participating this year, including RTVE, on all aspects of the Contest.
Israel’s participation at Eurovision has been a controversial topic since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023. Many artists, musicians and fans across Europe have called for Israel to be excluded from the competition because of their involvement in military action.
Spain’s broadcaster is not the first EBU member to raise concerns about Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2025. Several months ago, the council of Slovenia’s RTV SLO directed the broadcaster’s Management Board to initiate a request with the EBU for Israel not to participate in the contest.
Image Source: EBU | Source: RTVE
