Two Belgian ministers have called for Israel to be barred from this year’s Eurovision Song Contest as a response to the conflict with Hamas.
“Just like Russia has been excluded from competitions and Eurovision following its invasion of Ukraine, Israel should be excluded until it puts an end to its flagrant violations of international law, which are causing thousands of victims, especially children,” Belgium Culture Minister Benedicte Linard wrote on X.
Similarly, Minister of Media Benjamin Dalle suggested a suspension is warranted due to the suffering of Arabs by Israel, as reported by the Flemish broadcaster VRT.
Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, there has been media criticism of Israel’s involvement in Eurovision. Despite some artists and activists calling for Israel’s exclusion, the European Broadcasting Union, the organizer of the contest, has upheld Israel’s right to participate.
The Eurovision Song Contest, set to take place in Sweden this year, is a celebrated annual event that has been held since 1956. It features competitors from the member countries of the European Broadcasting Union, with artists representing their countries through music. Israel’s most recent win was in 2018 with Netta Barzilai’s performance of “Toy.”
