Recommendations of the Editorial team
This Thursday and tomorrow the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) will decide whether Israel can take part in the European Song Contest next year. Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer said: “If the EBU decides that Israel is not allowed to participate, Germany should refrain from participating.” Friedrich Merz had previously indicated that if Israel were excluded, Germany should not take part in the competition out of solidarity.
“The ESC cannot exist without Israel,” said Weimer. “It is disturbing to see that artists in Europe are excluded simply because they are Israelis, because they are Jews. This deeply contradicts basic European values and the freedom of art.”
He hopes for support from other European countries.
Reactions from other countries
Meanwhile, television broadcasters in Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Ireland have threatened a boycott if Israel takes part. They justified their protest with the Israeli actions in Gaza.
The Broadcasting Union changed the regulations two weeks ago after Israel was accused of strategically mobilizing callers for the “public vote”. In the future, the number of votes per person, which can be cast via call, SMS and online, will be reduced from 20 to 10. Yuval Raphael’s Israeli entry took second place this year; JJ from Austria won it.