“Voices from all over the world are being raised to demand a ceasefire. Yet Eurovision remains silent,” lamented Mathilde Panot in a message posted on the social network final of this song competition, before the final on Saturday.
Voices from all over the world are being raised to demand a ceasefire.
Yet Eurovision remains silent.
In the name of peace and love for culture, we, MPs from European countries, MEPs, artists, citizens, call to exclude Israel from Eurovision.
We don’t… pic.twitter.com/E95Nl3CE2H
— Mathilde Panot (@MathildePanot) May 8, 2024
“In the name of peace and love for culture, we, deputies of European countries, MEPs, artists, citizens, call to exclude Israel from Eurovision,” she added, concluding: “We do not We will not let Palestine disappear.
Since the start of the year, petitions have multiplied to demand the exclusion of Israel from Eurovision. At the end of March, candidates from nine countries, including Bambie Thug (Ireland) called for a lasting ceasefire.
Candidates show support for Palestinians
On Tuesday, during the first semi-final, Swedish singer Eric Saade, whose father is of Palestinian origin, protested Israel’s participation by wearing a keffiyeh around his arm during his performance.
The Israeli army carried out airstrikes on Wednesday and deadly “targeted” operations in the Palestinian town of Rafah threatened by a major ground offensive, at a time when negotiations are being held in Cairo for a truce between Israel and Hamas.
34,844 Palestinians dead according to Hamas
Hamas is responsible for an unprecedented attack against Israel carried out on October 7, 2023 from Gaza which left more than 1,170 dead, mainly civilians, according to an AFP report established from official data. More than 250 people were kidnapped during the attack and 128 remain captive in Gaza, 36 of whom are considered dead, according to the army.
The Israeli response was devastating: the deluge of fire on the Gaza Strip where some 2.4 million Palestinians are crowded together has so far cost the lives of 34,844 people according to Hamas, causing a humanitarian catastrophe with a situation of famine in the north according to the UN and colossal destruction.