Three Irish Eurovision singers among 72 performers seeking ban on Israel from song contest over Gaza
©UK Independent
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Three singers who represented Ireland at the Eurovision are among 72 former contestants who have signed an open letter calling for Israel and its national broadcaster KAN to be banned from this year's competition.
Brian Kennedy, Charlie McGettigan and Mickey Joe Harte signed the letter addressed to Eurovision organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) .
It blames the EBU for the uproar that surrounded last year's event in Sweden, which, the letter states, was 'the most politicised, chaotic and unpleasant in the competition's history'.
The letter was also signed by Mark Caplice, who co-wrote Ireland's 2018 entry, Together.
It accuses KAN of being 'complicit in Israel's genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza and the decades-long regime of apartheid and military occupation against the entire Palestinian people'.
Israel vehemently denies it is committing genocide. Court proceedings at the UN's highest court, the International Court of Justice, are continuing.
In 2023, KAN reporter Rotem Achihun was filmed joking with Israeli soldiers while appearing to write a 'message for Gaza' on the side of a tank shell.
KAN received heavy criticism last year for its delegation's alleged treatment of contestants. Ireland's Bambie Thug, who did not sign the letter, accused the network in 2023 of 'inciting violence against me, twice, three times'.
The singer withdrew from dress rehearsals over the controversy, prompting the EBU to confirm it had spoken with KAN about its coverage.
Among the other signatories of the letter are 2023 UK contestant Mae Muller and Portuguese singer Fernando Tordo.
'By continuing to platform the representation of the Israeli state, the EBU is normalising and whitewashing its crimes,' the letter states.
'The EBU has already demonstrated that it is capable of taking measures, as in 2022, when it expelled Russia from the competition. We don't accept this double standard regarding Israel.
'We stand in solidarity with this year's contestants and condemn the EBU's repeated refusal to take responsibility.'
Last year's Eurovision was plagued by controversy due to Israel's participation amid its ongoing attacks on Gaza. Some critics accused the EBU of hypocrisy for refusing to remove Israel, having previously ejected Russia in 2022 following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
'It can't be one rule for Russia and a completely different rule for Israel. You bomb, you're out,' said Thea Garrett, who represented Malta in 2010 and signed the letter.
Israel was ultimately allowed to compete last year with its delegate Eden Golan, despite threatening to withdraw after she was asked to amend her song October Rain due to its perceived lyrical references to the October 7 attacks.
This year, Israel is being represented by October 7 survivor Yuval Raphael, who will sing the track New Day Will Rise at the event, in Basel, Switzerland.
The letter was published after broadcasters for three participating countries – Spain, Iceland and Slovenia – questioned Israel's role in the competition earlier this year. KAN and the EBU were contacted for comment.
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