On January 31, at the end of a two-day state visit to Sweden, when he was about 20 kilometers from Malmö – where Eurovision will be held in May – French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned the competition. “I must confess that France hasn’t always been very successful,” he said, smiling, before adding that he hoped for “the best” for singer Slimane, who will represent France this year.
No doubt President Macron was unaware of the controversy raging in Sweden and neighboring countries since the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the event’s organizer, confirmed Israel’s participation on December 10, 2023. The decision that led to an outcry in Northern Europe, because Israel’s response to the October 7 attacks has killed over 24,000 people in Gaza, according to Hamas.
Just two days before Macron’s speech, 1,500 Swedish artists signed a petition in the Aftonbladet newspaper demanding Israel’s exclusion. “Welcoming countries that place themselves above humanitarian law and allowing them to take part in international cultural events trivializes violations of international law and makes the suffering of victims invisible,” said the text, which mentioned the International Court of Justice’s investigation against Israel, a country accused of genocide by South Africa.
Among the signatories were pop singer Robyn, duo First Aid Kit and rapper Timbuktu, as well as mezzo-soprano Malena Ernman, Sweden’s Eurovision participant in 2009 and mother of activist Greta Thunberg, who recently found herself in turmoil for displaying her support for the Palestinians. The artists have accused the EBU of setting a double standard by allowing Israel to take part in the competition, after having expelled Russia from it in 2022, following the war in Ukraine.
A call for a boycott in Iceland
The Swedes aren’t the only ones protesting. As early as December 11, the Icelandic Songwriters’ Association called on RÚV, the Icelandic public broadcasting group, to boycott the competition unless Israel was excluded, “on the same basis as Russia.” “We all have a duty to take a stand against war and the murder of innocent civilians and children,” said the association, supported by 500 Icelandic artists who signed a petition calling for the boycott on January 18.
RÚV has announced that it will make a decision once their participant has been selected. This year, one of the 10 singers – and a clear favorite on online betting sites – is Palestinian singer Bashar Murad, who will be singing in Icelandic. He had already taken part with the group Hatari for the 2019 Eurovision in Tel Aviv. On that occasion, Icelanders were fined for waving Palestinian flags during the final, in violation of EBU regulations.
You have 50% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.
