Spain Public Broadcaster Calls for ‘Debate’ over Israel’s Eurovision Participation

Yuval Raphael. (AP)
Yuval Raphael. (AP)
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Spain Public Broadcaster Calls for ‘Debate’ over Israel’s Eurovision Participation

Yuval Raphael. (AP)
Yuval Raphael. (AP)

Spain's public broadcaster said on Friday it has called for a "debate" over Israel's participation in this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland due to "concerns" over the situation in war-torn Gaza.

RTVE has sent a letter to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which manages the event, "requesting a debate on the participation of Israeli public television (KAN)" in the contest, the Spanish public broadcaster said in a statement.

The Swiss city of Basel will host the glitzy annual extravaganza -- one of the world's biggest live television events which involves countries from Europe to Australia -- at the St. Jakobshalle indoor arena, with the semi-finals on May 13 and 15, and the final on May 17.

Public broadcasters of participating nations select the candidate which will represent them, so the absence of KAN would mean there is no Israeli performer at this year's event.

RTVE said it "reiterates its support" for Eurovision "but also acknowledges the concerns that the situation in Gaza and the participation of KAN public television are raising within Spanish civil society".

"It would be appropriate for the EBU to recognize the existence of this debate and provide a forum for discussion between EBU member broadcasters on the participation of Israeli public television," the statement added.

- October 7 survivor -

Thousands protested at last year's contest in the Swedish city of Malmo against Israel's participation against the backdrop of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Israeli competitor Eden Golan had to change her lyrics over their apparent references to the deadly Hamas attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war.

A survivor of that attack will represent Israel in Basel.

When Hamas gunmen killed more than 370 people at the Nova music festival, Yuval Raphael survived by hiding under a pile of bodies. She said she would be ready to face the kind of hostility Golan did.

Finland's public broadcaster Yle received two petitions last month demanding it push for Israel to be banned from the contest due to the war in Gaza.

One was signed by more than 500 music and culture industry professionals, while a public petition was signed by over 10,000 people.

Israel has won the contest four times, most recently in Lisbon in 2018.

On October 7, 2023, Palestinian gunmen launched a cross-border attack in Israel that resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the capture of 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

Israel's ensuing bombardment and ground offensive in Gaza has killed nearly 51,000 people in the territory, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. The UN has deemed its figures generally reliable.



Australia Says it Cancelled Kanye West's Visa over 'Heil Hitler' Song

FILE PHOTO: Rapper Kanye West makes a point as he holds his first rally in support of his presidential bid in North Charleston, South Carolina, US July 19, 2020.  REUTERS/Randall Hill/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Rapper Kanye West makes a point as he holds his first rally in support of his presidential bid in North Charleston, South Carolina, US July 19, 2020. REUTERS/Randall Hill/File Photo
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Australia Says it Cancelled Kanye West's Visa over 'Heil Hitler' Song

FILE PHOTO: Rapper Kanye West makes a point as he holds his first rally in support of his presidential bid in North Charleston, South Carolina, US July 19, 2020.  REUTERS/Randall Hill/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Rapper Kanye West makes a point as he holds his first rally in support of his presidential bid in North Charleston, South Carolina, US July 19, 2020. REUTERS/Randall Hill/File Photo

Kanye West, also known as Ye, has had his Australian visa cancelled after he released “Heil Hitler”, a song promoting Nazism, the country’s home affairs minister said on Wednesday.

The US rapper released the song that praised the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler across social media and music streaming platforms in May this year.

The song came a few months after West made a string of antisemitic posts on X, which included comments such as "I love Hitler" and "I'm a Nazi".

According to Reuters, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said that while previous offensive comments made by West had not affected his visa status, officials “looked at it again” after the song’s release.

“It was a lower level (visa) and the officials still looked at the law and said you're going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don't need that in Australia," he told national broadcaster ABC on Wednesday.

"We have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry."

Burke added that West had family in Australia and had been a longtime visitor prior to the visa cancellation. The singer married his wife Bianca Censori, an Australian architect, in December 2022.

Burke's office declined to comment on the exact date of the visa cancellation. West's management did not respond immediately to a request for comment outside U.S. business hours.

In October 2024, US conservative influencer Candace Owens was also barred from entry into Australia. Burke said “Australia's national interest is best served when Candace Owens is somewhere else”.