2mo ago

Eurovision: Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez calls for Israel to be banned - BBC News

www.bbc.com Eurovision: Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez calls for Israel to be banned - BBC News

Pedro Sánchez warns against "double standards" after Russia was banned from the song contest in 2022.

Is the EBU going to ban Spain do you think?

Europe @lemm.ee

Eurovision: Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez calls for Israel to be banned

www.bbc.com /news/articles/cn7zx836v6do.amp

26 5

32 comments

They should do this with all countries doing war crimes. They did it with Russia, they should do it with Isreal.
- EBU insisted it would be political to kick out Israel but said no such thing about kicking out Russia
  But the more practical reason: a bunch of member states threatened leaving over Russia's participation and haven't done so over Israel
  https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/16/israel-eurovision-gaza-european-broadcasting-union
  
  I really like the article you linked, because it gives an alternative explanation for why Israel is allowed to stay in the contest (other than "the EBU is really into genocide"):
  In 2017, Benjamin Netanyahu abolished the old Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) – Eurovision in that year was its last broadcast. The reasons cited were financial, but commentators argue that it was a political move: the IBA was seen as too leftwing. It was replaced with Kan, the current broadcaster. Kan is more docile than the IBA – but still not docile enough for the government, which wants to it handed to the private sector. The communications minister, Shlomo Karhi, previously put forward a proposal to this effect in 2023, accusing the network of biased coverage and claiming that it spoke in a “disgraceful manner” towards members of the government. Such a body would be breaking EBU rules and would not be allowed into Eurovision.
  The EBU feels obliged to protect Kan, even if that means risking the Eurovision brand. That’s what it was created for: to champion “free and independent” public service broadcasting. Running the Eurovision song contest is only tangential to that mission.
  Basically the EBU is using the ESC as a bargaining chip to protect the independence of Kan. The problem with that: The Israeli government is taking advantage of that. And Kan doesn't seem to have a big problem with the actions of their government. After all even the "leftwing" IBA showed illegally occupied land in the 2017 postcards.
- There is an easy reason why this isn't a policy: they'd have to consider banning UK and France every few years if it was.

I was really distrubed about this until I realized Moroccanoil is an Israeli company. Follow the money.

ahh yes the well known European country of Israel...
- Although there are many complains to be had about the EBU, I feel like being inclusive outside of european borders shouldn't be one.
  I'd love to see more countries join. Just not genocidal ones though.
  
  So you want the Olympics of music, not the EUROvision
  
  Just as long as the US never joins (and I say this as an American)
  We take things way to seriously (and can't laugh at ourselves) and it would just kill the vibe...
- I have always found it odd that Israel plays in UEFA European tournaments in football/soccer and yet Jordan, Lebanon, etc do not.
  
  It's not like they can play in 90% of the Asian countries to be fair
  I believe lots of countries "in the middle" choose their continent. I know it's the case for Russia and Turkey at least. Depending on the sports they'll go be small fish in a big pond to improve or get paid more (UEFA typically is more interesting than other football leagues) or big fishes in a small pond, where they can get nice placements and, where relevant, qualify for the Olympics more easily.
  (Would still be nice to have Eurovision be European, though.)
  
  Odd doesn't begin to describe bribery in attempt to boost public image
  
  +1 for Lebanon, and even Syria should be included