no regrets that Israel is allowed to participate

• Jorn Kompeer

  Domestic editor in Malmö

The organization behind the Eurovision Song Contest does not regret the decision to allow Israel to participate in the event. This is what Jean Philip de Tender, media director of the European Broadcasting Union, said in conversation with NOS. Even after the events in Gaza, including in Rafah, the organization still supports the decision.

Israel’s Eurovision participation has been criticized for months; many people don’t think it’s appropriate for the country to participate in the joyful event while Israel is simultaneously waging war in Gaza. This criticism is expected to come to an apotheosis in the coming days, when major protests are planned in Malmö. The police expect tens of thousands of people.

“Of course we share the concerns about the conflict in the Middle East,” says EBU director Jean Philip de Tender. “But the Eurovision Song Contest is a co-production between 37 public broadcasters. It is a music event and not a competition between governments and authorities. It is a competition between public broadcasters.”

According to him, it would not be according to the rules of the game to exclude Israel because of the events in Gaza. “The Israeli broadcaster works independently of the government and therefore all conditions are met.”

The situation this week in Rafah and the escalation of the conflict with Iran last month do not change the EBU’s decision, De Tender explains. “If we were to exclude the Israeli broadcaster this week, it would be a political decision and we should stay far away from that.”

The EBU director does not think it is justified that critics make a comparison with Russia and Belarus, which were excluded in 2022 after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

He states that the decision to exclude Belarus had to do with submitting an overly political issue several times. “And in Russia, the public broadcaster cannot work independently there,” according to De Tender.

The organization especially hopes that the demonstrations outside the Malmö Arena will be peaceful and, above all, stay outside. “It’s important that we keep the shows free of politics.”

However, that didn’t quite work last night during the first semi-final. Immediately during the opening performance, former participant Eric Saade stood on stage with a Palestinian scarf around his arm.

And Irish entry Bambi Thug planned to wear an outfit featuring symbols calling for a ceasefire. The EBU discovered it during rehearsals and decided that the suit needed to be adjusted.

The criticism of Israel’s participation also affects participant Eden Golan, who has been receiving threats for weeks and is barely allowed to leave her hotel room in Malmö. Today she was seen by the press for the first time, at the dress rehearsal.

And Israeli fans also notice the threat surrounding their entry, says fan Guy. He has decided not to tell strangers in Malmö that he is from Israel, “And I try to speak as little Hebrew as possible.” Israel has issued a travel warning to all fans who want to travel to Sweden.

At the same time, the organization hopes that the feeling of threat will not prevail when this edition ends on Sunday night. “The basis is and remains ‘United by Music’,” says EBU director De Tender. “We bring people who are diverse together on stage. We recognize that diversity and we celebrate that diversity.”