Over 250 Irish TV and film producers sign letter for Israel to be excluded from Eurovision

Over 350 independent Irish TV and film producers have signed an open letter, urging the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to change its position on the inclusion of Israel in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

Yesterday, the competition’s director Martin Green published a statement defending the EBU’s decision to keep Israel in the competition. The statement comes in response to RTÉ’s Director General Kevin Bakhurst, who requested a “discussion” to be had on the situation.

“To be absolutely clear: this is not a call rooted in opposition to any nationality, ethnicity, or religion,” read the open letter. “We condemn antisemitism and all forms of hatred. Our concern is with the actions of the Israeli state and military in Gaza, and the ethical implications of cultural participation in the context of escalating humanitarian catastrophe.”

The letter cites the EBU’s 2022 decision to exclude Russia from the Eurovision Song Contest following its invasion of Ukraine.

“It was understood that Eurovision is not, and cannot be, politically neutral in the face of profound injustice and international condemnation,” they wrote.

Aid agencies have reported that those living in the Gaza Strip are at risk of starvation, with some already dead of malnutrition. Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said last week that Israel’s blockade is “clearly a war crime.”

“We do not approach this matter lightly, nor do we conflate the cultural sphere with political ideology,” the letter continued. “But Eurovision is more than a song contest. It is a platform that claims to celebrate peace, unity, and cultural solidarity. Those values are not abstract; they carry meaning when they are tested.”

Read the full letter here.