The director general of RTÉ, Kevin Bakhurst, has asked the European Broadcasting Union for a discussion on Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.
In a statement, Bakhurst said: “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.
“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.”
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Bakhurst’s intervention came after Eurovision chiefs pushed back against Irish objections to Israel’s participation, claiming earlier on Wednesday that no national broadcaster has “publicly opposed” the country taking part.
The contest’s director, Martin Green, said the EBU, which organises Eurovision, was aligned with other international groups that have “maintained their inclusive stance towards Israeli participants” in big competitions.
Green commented after former Eurovision contestants, among them Ireland’s 1994 winner, Charlie McGettigan, called for Israel’s expulsion because of the Gaza war.
Journalists in the NUJ branch of RTÉ have also called on the national broadcaster to file an objection against Israeli participation with the EBU.
The 69th annual song contest takes place later this month in Basle, Switzerland, with Israel represented by Yuval Raphael.
Raphael is a survivor of the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed. That triggered Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which has killed more than 52,000 people.
A statement on Tuesday from the NUJ broadcasting branch urged RTÉ to follow the lead of other public-service broadcasters by formally opposing Israel’s participation because of the war.
The NUJ cited moves against Israel’s Eurovision role by broadcasters in Iceland, Slovenia and Spain.
Green questioned NUJ claims, however.
“No participating EBU member broadcaster, who have all been widely consulted, has ‘publicly opposed’ Israeli broadcaster Kan’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest – despite the claims in another letter from RTÉ journalists,” he said in a statement circulated by the EBU.
“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.”
Green, an events organiser who produced London Olympics ceremonies in 2012, said Eurovision chiefs “understand the concerns and deeply held views” on the Middle East conflict.
“The EBU is not immune to global events but, together, with our members, it is our role to ensure the contest remains – at its heart – a universal event that promotes connections, diversity and inclusion through music,” he said.
“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.”
He went on to say that the EBU was “an association of public-service broadcasters, not governments, who are all eligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest every year if they meet the requisite requirements”.
“It is not our role to make comparisons between conflicts,” he added.
Eurovision did not reply to an email. There was no immediate response from Israeli representatives.
