Israel will participate in the annual Eurovision contest to be held this May in Sweden, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) officially declared in response to Ynet's request, following numerous calls for a boycott over the Gaza war.
"The Eurovision Song Contest is a competition between public broadcasting corporations from across Europe and the Middle East, which are members of the European Broadcasting Union," the statement reads. "This is a competition for broadcasters - not for governments - and the Israel Broadcasting Corporation has participated in the competition for 50 years."
"The EBU is committed to ensuring that the Eurovision Song Contest remains an apolitical event, which unites audiences around the world through music. As an organization led by its members, the bodies that manage it - led by the board of directors - examined the list of participants in the 2024 contest, and they agreed that the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation meets all the rules of the competition and is allowed to participate in the one that will be held in Malmö in May," according to the statement.
The statement added: "The EBU aligns itself with other international organizations, including sports associations, federations and other international bodies, which similarly maintain their inclusive position regarding representatives from Israel at this stage."
In recent weeks the European Broadcasting Union has been pressured to boycott Israel. In Iceland and Ireland, petitions have already been signed on the subject, which call on their broadcasting authorities to withdraw from the competition if Israel does participate in it.
Last week, the broadcasting corporation announced the method of selecting the Israeli song for Eurovision. This year, unlike in the past, it will be mandatory to use some Hebrew lyrics, and the song will be selected by a professional committee. The Israeli representative for Eurovision will soon be chosen at the end of the reality show "The Next Star for Eurovision," which is broadcast on the Keshet network.