Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU
Sweden: The left party demands the ban of Israel from Eurovision Song Contest! | The response of SVT!
In May, Malmö will host the Eurovision Song Contest. On May 7, the festivities kick off and on May 11, it’s time for the final. But lately the contest is leaning towards politics. The leader of the Left Party, Nooshi Dadgostar, demands that the organizers ban Israel from participating in the competition. Nooshi Dadgostar explicitly says:
“Eurovision should not invite Israel.”
The reason for the Left Party‘s announcement is the ongoing war that in Gaza, where Israel has been dragged before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The legal process has been initiated after South Africa filed a complaint against Israel to the court.
“Aggressive war against children”
Nooshi Dadgostar adds on the matter:
“Tens of thousands of people have been killed. It is not the right signal to send that Sweden gives space on stage to such a state. Israel is waging an aggressive war against children and their parents and is now being prosecuted for genocide and there are many indications that they are committing war crimes right now.”
When asked if it is reasonable for her, as a politician, to interfere in a production in this way, she responded:
“I love Eurovision. It is a place of celebration and fellowship, but I think many people share the view that a state that has killed so many children cannot be given this place. Otherwise, it’s as if the outside world doesn’t care about the killing. This has to stop.”
Social Democratic party doesn’t want to interfere
Social Democratic MP Lawen Redar, who sits on the Riksdag‘s Culture Committee, strongly disagrees.
“I don’t interfere in how this type of programme should be implemented. It must be up to the public service broadcasters in Europe, and it is certainly unusual to boycott individual nations from participating.”
The response of SVT
SVT refers the question of Israel‘s participation in Eurovision to the European Broadcasting Union and Madeleine Sinding-Larsen write:
“SVT will not comment on this because it is the EBU that decides which members participate in the competition and SVT will follow the EBU’s decision.”
Aftonbladet has reached out to the EBU but there is no response yet.
Source: Aftonbladet / Fredrik Björkman
Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU
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