Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest is causing quite a stir this year. There are calls for a boycott from various quarters, the text of the Israeli entry had to be adjusted and security measures in the host city of Malmö have been increased. But why does Israel, as a non-European country, actually participate in the Eurovision Song Contest?
The Eurovision Song Contest is organized by the European Radio Union (EBU), a partnership between broadcasters from Europe. But several broadcasters from North Africa and the Middle East are also members of the EBU.
Those countries, including Morocco and Israel, are therefore also allowed to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. Most countries do not make use of that option. Morocco only participated once (in 1980), while countries such as Egypt, Algeria, Jordan and Lebanon – all members of the EBU – have never participated.
Four times a win
Israel is an enthusiastic and successful participant in the song festival. Since the first participation in 1973, the country has already participated 45 times. Israel won four times, most recently in 2018. In 2019, the Eurovision Song Contest was held in Tel Aviv.
According to the Center for Information and Documentation Israel (CIDI), Israel’s participation is partly due to a certain cultural connection that the country has with Europe. “Israel is culturally quite a Western country. It has always felt connected to the Western world,” said a CIDI spokesperson.
Boycott
Yet it would not have made much difference if Israel had not participated this year. Voices were raised from various countries not to invite the country this year due to the war in Gaza. However, the EBU decided that Israel would not be boycotted.
However, the organization of the Eurovision Song Contest objected twice to the Israeli singer’s song. The texts, which referred to the Hamas attack on October 7 last year, were said to be too political. Ultimately, Israel changed tack and the text was amended.
20-year-old Israeli participant Eden Golan has recently received a lot of hate and threats online. The festival organization called this ‘unacceptable’ last month.
The fact that there is still a threat is evident from the strict security measures that the authorities in Malmö, Sweden, where the festival is held, have taken.
Security
“There is a lot of security, a lot of police on the street,” says Editie NL reporter Lonneke Haveman from Malmö. “The Swedish police will receive help from Danish and Norwegian colleagues during the festival.”
The presence of the Israeli delegation is also noticeable in the demonstrators who protest against the arrival of the Israelis. “You see many Palestinian flags here, and there are small groups of demonstrators walking around. Large demonstrations have also been announced for today and Saturday,” says Haveman.
What is striking is that Eden Golan hardly shows himself. “The Israeli delegation is nowhere to be seen. They are confined to their hotel, and you cannot interview them,” she says. “You meet all the artists walking around, but the Israeli delegation is completely shielded.”
Australia is the odd one out
By the way, there is another country that is not likely to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. Australia is completely on the other side of the world, and the country is not a member of the EBU. Yet the Australians are allowed to participate. The Eurovision Song Contest has traditionally been immensely popular in the country.
When the festival celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2015, the EBU decided to invite Australia. The intention was actually for this participation to be a one-off, but since then Australia has received an invitation every year.
Tags: Israel participating Eurovision Song Contest Culturally Western country RTL News
