Head of state broadcaster says it is ‘impossible to look the other way’ over Israel’s actions in Gaza
Spain has become the latest country to confirm it will not take part in next year’s Eurovision song contest if Israel participates, with the head of its state broadcaster saying “the genocide currently taking place make[s] it impossible for us to look the other way”.
The majority decision by RTVE board members makes Spain the first of the “big five” Eurovision countries that contribute the most money to the event to take such action in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
Similar decisions over Eurovision have already been made by Slovenia, Ireland and the Netherlands. The RTVE vote was held on Tuesday, the same day as a UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.
Explaining the decision, RTVE’s president, José Pablo López, said the broadcasters that comprise the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs the contest, could no longer remain silent about Israel’s actions in Gaza.
