Robyn and Fever Ray are amongst more than 1,000 Swedish signatories of an open letter requiring the Eurovision Song Contest to prohibit Israel from the 2024 competitors, the last of which occurs in the Swedish city of Malmö on May 11. Axel Boman, Refused, DJ Seinfeld, Peder Mannerfelt, and First Aid Kit are likewise amongst the signatories.
Per the Gazan Health Ministry, Israeli forces have eliminated more than 25,000 Palestinians because the break out of war in October, following Hamas’ attack on Israel. The United Nations’ International Court of Justice in The Hague has likewise called on Israeli leaders to avoid acts of genocide by military forces in the Gaza Strip.
The letter to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), owner and operator of Eurovision, argues, “The truth that nations that put themselves above humanitarian law are invited to take part in worldwide cultural occasions trivializes infractions of global law and makes the suffering of the victims unnoticeable.”
The letter follows a comparable project led by Finnish and Icelandic artists, which argued that “a nation that devotes war criminal offenses and continues a military profession” needs to not be permitted “to polish its image in the name of music.”
Following both letters, Sveriges Television (SVT), the Swedish public broadcaster of Eurovision 2024, launched the following declaration:
Israel’s involvement in the Eurovision Song Contest is creating argument and today a variety of Swedish artists have actually gotten in touch with the EBU to cancel Israel’s involvement in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.
It is the EBU’s choice which public broadcasters might participate in the occasion, and as the host broadcaster, SVT follows the EBU’s choices.
The humanitarian suffering in this deeply intricate dispute is ravaging. No one can be left unmoved by the existing scenario in Gaza, or by the Hamas attack in Israel. We are likewise worried about these advancements. We comprehend and appreciate that groups of individuals want to make their voices heard.
As the host broadcaster, SVT has a continuous discussion with the EBU about the obstacles of producing Europe’s biggest TV-production in times of discontent.
We are humbled by the job and are working to guarantee the task can be performed in the very best method possible, with the vision that music joins.
The European Broadcasting Union prohibited Russia from the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, stating, “because of the extraordinary crisis in Ukraine, the addition of a Russian entry in this year’s Contest would bring the competitors into disrepute.” At the exact same time, the EBU described itself as “an apolitical member company of broadcasters devoted to promoting the worths of civil service.” Belarus was prohibited for press flexibility infractions the previous year.