The Spanish Government is toughening its stance over Israeli action in Gaza by increasing pressure to expel Israel from Eurovision.

Most of these initiatives have come from the left, who in previous months demanded that the Spanish, State TV (RTVN) management does not broadcast the Israel’s participation in this European festival, which is watched by nearly 200 million viewers worldwide each year.

The Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, openly called for this yesterday morning in an interview on Spanish National Radio (RNE): “We must ensure that Israel does not participate” in Eurovision, he said.

He even suggested that Spain should not compete in this festival if its expulsion is not achieved. “We no longer tolerate, as Spaniards, that cultural and sporting events serve to whitewash what is probably the greatest atrocity this world has seen in the 21st century,” he said. Second Vice President Yolanda Díaz also demanded the same “while the offensive on Gaza continues.”

Less forcefully, but along similar lines, the Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Service, Óscar López, said, “something will have to be done” adding that Eurovision decided to expel Russia after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

RTVE initially declined to comment but that same afternoon, announced the decision on the La 1 programme, Directo al Grano (Directly to the Point). The Head of public TV, José Pablo López, would propose Spain’s withdrawal from the competition, if Israel participates, at the meeting of the governing body, scheduled for later today, Tuesday.

Such a decision would make Spain the fifth country to agree to this, claimed Gonzalo Miró during the announcement on the show. Netherlands, Slovenia, Ireland, and Iceland have already conditioned their continued participation in Eurovision on Israel’s presence.

However, the position of Spain, considered one of the ‘Big Five’ countries with the greatest influence in organising the festival, could be more relevant to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which has been supporting Israel’s presence in the competition.

All this happened after RTVE Eurovision commentators, Tony Aguilar and Julia Varela, in the video prior to Yuval’s performance in the second semi-final, denounced the high death toll resulting from the Israeli offensive, while also calling for peace. The EBU criticised this comment and threatened to sanction Spanish public television if it were repeated in the final. RTVE challenged the organisation with a message they published before the broadcast: “In the face of Human Rights, silence is not an option. Peace and justice for Palestine.”

Editorial comment: you can’t argue with the fact that Russia was expelled over the invasion; thus Israel should be, too… Although Shiner might not agree 😉

(News: Spain – Photo: Times of Israel)

Keywords: Gaza Offensive, Israel, Eurovision Song Contest, Spanish Public TV, RTVN, RNE, Protest, Withdrawal, Russian Offensive, Ukraine.

news, spain, gaza offensive, israel, eurovision song contest, spanish public tv, rtvn, rne, protest, withdrawal, russian offensive, ukraine.

Reader’s comment: “At the very least an inquiry should be made by the Israeli Government why it took 6 hours for the IDF to enter the kibbutzes on 7 October 2023, when they were only 40 minutes away by helicopter. Netanyahu doesn’t care about the hostages and never has. They want the land of Gaza. Why did Israel try to kill or did kill the Hamas negotiators in Doha last week, when there could have been an agreement to release the hostages? 

In my opinion the Hannibal Directive was used by Israel on 7 October 2023.

The UN and other scholars say a genocide is happening in Gaza, but world politicians on the whole ignore this. Shame on them all. Check out social media instead on the controlled MSM to show you the truth. Children are being blown to bits in Gaza City as I type this. It is truly the worst crime of the 21st century.” – Julie

Reader’s comment: “Where are the hostages ? Hamas is responsible for all the suffering” – Philip Verstrepen

Hostages? Including the three Israeli hostages that the IDF shot down in cold blood even though they came out from the rubble with a white flag, pleading not to be shot? The soldiers killed two and the third ran back behind cover but finally came out. No matter that he repeatedly told them that he was a Israeli hostage before reemerging… they shot him anyway. Hardly surprising as they had been told to shoot anybody they liked, including children – Martin