Thread by @DrMartinGak

1. A thread in English on how #Israel managed to stay on #Eurovision and why it should be expelled from the competition.

2. In 2024, when Israel had already massacred many thousand civilians including children, over 70 former #Eurovision participants called for Israel’s exclusion from the contest, citing complicity in alleged war crimes.

euronews.com/culture/2025/0…

3. Despite these appeals, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) allowed Israel to participate, emphasizing #Eurovision apolitical nature. Of course, keeping in competition a country already then suspected of crimes against humanity and genocide was a political act.

4. How did Israel manage to stay on? Well...the EBU’s decision raised questions about its governance. Notably, Germany, as one of the “Big Five” countries, holds significant influence within the EBU, potentially impacting such decisions.

5. As one of the EBU’s “Big Five” — countries that automatically qualify for the Grand Final due to their huge financial contributions. In 2024, Germany’s ARD paid €454,905 to participate. A pay-to-play and, as it turn out, pay-for-Israel arrangement. #Eurovision #ESC2024

6. With 8.1 million viewers in 2024, Germany had the largest Eurovision TV audience of any country. Its national final, “Chefsache ESC,” drew over 3.5 million viewers — the highest since 2010. Audience = Power. #Eurovision

7. And importantly Germany isn’t just a participant but it is also #Eurovision technical and organizational force. From 5G broadcast trials to rotating broadcaster duties, German networks shape how Eurovision runs and evolves.

8. EBU´s record with Israel is dismal. For instance: As peaceful Gazan demonstrators were being shot by snipers during the #MarchOfReturn crippling 100s in 2018, EBU was organising Eurovision 2019 for Tel Aviv.

mondoweiss.net/2019/04/israel…

9. In 2022, EBU banned Russia from Eurovision after its invasion of Ukraine. This set a clear precedent: broadcasters of states engaged in war could be excluded on political and humanitarian grounds. #Eurovision
eurovision.tv/mediacentre/re…

10. The reason was not massacred Ukrainians but "The decision reflects concern that, in light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine, the inclusion of a Russian entry in this year’s Contest would bring the competition into disrepute."

DISREPUTE

11. In 2024, several EBU members pushed to ban Israel from #Eurovision over the Gaza war. 🇮🇪 @rte, 🇸🇮 @RTV_Slovenija, and 🇧🇪 Belgium’s @rtbf & @vrt officially raised concerns—citing the precedent of Russia’s 2022 ban after invading Ukraine. #ESC2024 #Gaza #Eurovision2024

12. Presumably these organisations understood that genocide and ethnic cleansing, wanton murder and destruction of civilian infrastructure can bring disrepute to that year's contest.

13. An EBU insider said when some broadcasters pushed to ban Israel, Germany’s @ARDde threatened to pull out of #Eurovision. As its top funders, that effectively ended the debate. “When Germany speaks, the EBU listens.” #ESC2024 #MediaPolitics

14. So in 2024, the Israelis went to Malmo, where Dutch contestant @#JoostKlein, a favorite to win with his song “Europapa.”

15. It was Joost who was getting a lot of press and who in a press conference openly questioned the participation of Israel.

16. So the Israeli act when on stage in Malmo to sing "Hurricane", a manicured version of the originally called "October Rain" which included references to war casualties and what many believed was an ambiguous takes on the dead civilians of Gaza:

bbc.com/news/entertain…

17. And then all of a sudden, rumours circulate that an incident happened backstage. Next that Joost Klein is under investigation.

18. Klein was accused of intimidating a female production crew member backstage, leading to his disqualification just before the grand final.
bbc.com/news/articles/…

19. Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS stated that Klein had repeatedly requested not to be filmed post-performance, but his wishes were ignored by the Israeli crew.

20. At that point, it had become clear that Joost Klein had been the object of an Israeli campaign of harassment and destruction of reputation. Baited by the Israeli crew.

boredpanda.com/joost-klein-eu…

21. Reports continued to emerge that the Israeli delegation violated backstage protocols, including unauthorized presence in restricted areas, yet faced no repercussions.

22. The slaughter in Gaza is, by several orders of magnitude, worse than anything Russia has done in Ukraine—yet Israel remains at Eurovision while Russia is banned. The moral rot in the EBU is almost as pungent as the smell of death in Gaza.

https://x.com/CGTNOfficial/status/1721620032541556978

23. Broadcasters in European countries have voiced opposition to Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2025, citing humanitarian concerns:
Ireland: @rte
Iceland: @ruv
Luxembourg: @RTLlu
Norway: @NRKno
Slovenia: @RTV_Slovenija
Spain: @rtve
Belgium: @vrtnws
Finland: @Yleisradio

24. And yet, there is the Israeli dance of impunity and goading in Geneva. The world be damned, international law be damned and Eurovision is now owned by Ziopapa (pace Joost)

25. So what should happen now? Israel should be pushed out of Eurovision. But if EBU and its German overlords will not, then there is stil something that other competitors can do: refuse to perform in Geneva. Refuse to step on stage with the Israelis. Don't make genocide glam.