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Eurovision rejects Israel ban over Gaza war: ‘not a contest between governments’
- Petitions had been circulating calling for Israel to be kicked out of the world’s biggest live music event over the Gaza war
- Organisers previously excluded Russia after its invasion of Ukraine
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Israel can compete in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, organisers said Thursday, despite calls for it to be excluded over the Gaza war like Russia was after invading Ukraine.
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Petitions have been circulating calling for Israel to be kicked out of the world’s biggest live music event, which is being held in Malmo, Sweden, in May.
The European Broadcasting Union said it had conducted a review and decided Israel could participate in the kitsch annual pop extravaganza.
“The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political music event and a competition between public service broadcasters who are members of the EBU. It is not a contest between governments,” EBU director general Noel Curran said in a statement.
“Our governing bodies … did review the participants list for the 2024 contest and agreed that the Israeli public broadcaster KAN met all the competition rules for this year and can participate, as it has for the past 50 years.”
Israel is to take part in the second semi-final on May 9, from which 10 of the 16 contenders will progress to the grand final on May 11.
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