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The Eurovision Song Contest confirms Israel's participation

Despite the voices calling for the country's veto from the contest, the European Broadcasting Union assured that it will be able to continue competing in the next edition.

Imagen de archivo de gente en Liverpool en mayo de 2023 reunida frente a un escenario de Eurovisión.

(Cordon Press)

Published by
Rosana Rábago Sainz

The Eurovision Song Contest confirmed Israel's participation in the event this Thursday. Despite wide-ranging voices calling for the country's veto from the contest (as already happened with Russia when the war against Ukraine began), the European Broadcasting Union assured that it will be able to continue competing in the next edition whose final will be on May 11. in Malmö, Sweden.

It was the head of the European Broadcasting Union, Noel Curran, who announced the decision. He did so in a statement obtained by AFP in which he stated that the organizers of the contest had reviewed the case and that, after concluding their investigation, they had decided that Israel would be permitted to participate in the annual pop music festival:

The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political musical event and a competition between public television stations that are members of the EBU. It is not a competition between governments. Our governing bodies reviewed the list of participants for the 2024 festival and agreed that the Israeli public network KAN complies with all the rules of this year's competition and will be able to participate, as it has done the last 50 years.

Critical voices call for Israel's expulsion from Eurovision

The decision was made after several voices were raised calling for the country's veto from the contest. According to their claims, Israel, immersed in a war against the terrorist group Hamas, should not participate in the Eurovision since it did not comply with the regulations.

This caused, on Wednesday, more than 400 celebrities from the entertainment industry to send a letter in which they asked the European Broadcasting Union to ignore these critical voices and, therefore, allow the country to participate in the contest.

A decision that they have finally made, by announcing that Israel will be able to participate in both the second semifinal that will be held on May 9 and, if they advance to the final, in the grand final gala that will take place on May 11.

This decision was finally made and confirmed by the announcement that Israel will be eligible to participate in the second semifinal to be held on May 9 and, in the case of reaching the final, in the grand final gala to be held on May 11.

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