Swedish Musicians Call for Israel's Exclusion from Eurovision Over Gaza Attacks, Citing Double Standards

11.02.2024 - 00:20

A group of over a thousand musicians in Sweden has urged the exclusion of Israel from the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest due to the country's attacks on Gaza. The musicians argue that a double standard is being applied, pointing to Russia's exclusion from the competition amid the invasion of Ukraine. This plea raises questions about consistency and fairness in the treatment of participating countries based on geopolitical events.

Since October 7, as the Israeli attacks on Gaza have claimed the lives of 27,365 people, global reactions against Israel continue to pour in.

Over a thousand Swedish musicians have expressed their views on the exclusion of Israel from the competition in an open letter to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organizer of the contest set to take place in Malmö, Sweden.

Highlighting the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, the statement accused the EBU of "hypocrisy," as reported by Independent Turkish.

The opposition to Israel's participation in the competition extends beyond Swedish musicians. Criticisms have also arisen from Finland, Norway, and Ireland.

The EBU, responsible for organizing Eurovision, maintains that the Israeli public broadcaster KAN has fulfilled all the necessary conditions for participation and argues that there is no reason for it not to be part of the organization.