Seventy-two former Eurovision competitors, including Mae Muller (United Kingdom 2023) and Charlie McGettigan (Ireland 1994), signed an open letter, reported by The Independent, asking the European Union of Radio Radiodiffusion (UER) to exclude Israel and its Kan diffuser of the 2025 competition in Basel. They accuse Kan of complicity in what they describe as “genocide” in Gaza and “apartheid” against the Palestinians, allegations that Israel firmly rejects, while procedures are underway at the International Court of Justice.
The letter denounces the participation of Israel in 2024, which made the edition “the most politicized and chaotic” in the history of the competition, marked by controversies such as the charges of the Irish Bambia Thug against Kan for “incitement to violence”. The signatories criticize the UER a “two weights, two measures”, recalling the exclusion of Russia in 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine. “Bombing is being excluded,” said Thea Garrett (Malta 2010). This year, Israel is represented by Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the attacks of October 7, with the song New Day Will Rise. The controversy intensifies after the Spanish, Icelandic and Slovenian broadcasters questioned the participation of Israel. The UER, while recognizing the “concerns” linked to the conflict, maintains the dialogue with the participants. The letter, published on ArtistsForpalestine.org.uk, calls to end the “normalization of crimes” of Israel. In 2024, petitions and more than 1,400 European professionals had already claimed the exclusion of Israel, without success.
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