LAST UPDATE | 7 May

THE DIRECTOR OF the Eurovision Song Contest has said the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is “not immune to global events” but that the competition remains “positive and inclusive”, in a response to a letter sent by RTÉ’s Director General concerning Israel’s participation in this year’s event. 

“We understand the concerns and deeply held views around the current conflict in the Middle East, said the competition’s director Martin Green. 

Green said it is the EBU’s role “to ensure the contest remains – at its heart – a universal event that promotes connections, diversity and inclusion through music”.

“We all aspire to keep the Eurovision Song Contest positive and inclusive and aspire to show the world as it could be, rather than how it necessarily is,” Green said, adding that the EBU is “an association of public service broadcasters, not governments”.

Addressing the controversy over Russia’s expulsion contrasting with Israel’s inclusion, Green said it was not the EBU’s role to make comparisons between conflicts but that the union remains “in constant contact with those participating this year, including RTE”. 

Green also noted that the EBU is supporting Israeli media outlet Kan “against the threat from being privatized or shut down by the Israeli government”.

“The EBU remains aligned with other international organisations that have similarly maintained their inclusive stance towards Israeli participants in major competitions at this time.”

Earlier today, the Director General of RTÉ Kevin Bakhurst said that RTÉ was calling for “a discussion on Israel’s inclusion” in the Eurovision Song Contest. 

Bakhurst’s statement came after the RTÉ sub-branch of the National Union of Journalists sent a letter to Bakhurst calling on the broadcaster to formally oppose the country’s inclusion in the annual contest.

“I am appalled by the ongoing events in the Middle East and by the horrific impact on civilians in Gaza, and the fate of Israeli hostages,” Bakhurst’s statement said.

“Notwithstanding the fact that the criterion for participating in the Eurovision Song Contest is membership of the European Broadcasting Union, RTÉ has nonetheless asked the EBU for a discussion on Israel’s inclusion in the contest.

“In doing this, we are mindful of RTÉ’s obligations as an independent, impartial public service news and current affairs provider, and of the need to maintain RTÉ’s objectivity in covering the war in Gaza.

“We are also very mindful of the severe political pressure on Israel’s public service broadcaster, Kan, from the Israeli government.”

Public broadcasters in Iceland, Slovenia and Spain have also raised concerns around Israel’s participation this year.

The NUJ journalists at RTÉ also wrote to the EBU to raise their concerns. In a response earlier today, Martin Green noted that no member of the broadcasting union has publicly opposed the participation of Israel. 

“The broadcasters mentioned in the letter, RTVE in Spain and RTVSLO in Slovenia, requested a discussion and RÚV in Iceland has informed us of their foreign minister’s comments on Kan’s participation.”

The NUJ letter had called for RTÉ to “follow other European broadcasters in opposing Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2025″. 

There were large-scale protests against Israel’s inclusion in the contest last year, with two major demonstrations taking place in the host city of Malmö in Sweden. There was audible booing in the arena as the Israeli act, Eden Golan, performed. 

Those calling for Israel’s exclusion from the contest have made comparisions with the swift action taken by the EBU in 2022 when Russia was expelled from the Eurovision within days of the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the 2023 Hamas attack on the Nova Music Festival, is set to compete on behalf of Israel this year with her track New Day Will Rise. Israel are due to perform in the second semi-final on Thursday 15 May, with Ireland’s EMMY also singing on the same night.

With reporting from David Mac Redmond