Anti-Israel sentiment
Klein criticizes ESC protests “in the strongest possible terms”
May 12, 2024, 1:13 p.m
Hardly any other Eurovision Song Contest was as politically charged as this year’s competition. This is mainly due to Israel’s participation and protests at the venue in Malmö. The German anti-Semitism commissioner Klein recognizes a “common anti-Semitic pattern”.
The Federal Government’s anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, has condemned the anti-Israel protests at the Eurovision Song Contest “in the strongest possible terms”. “It corresponds to a common anti-Semitic pattern to hold Israelis collectively liable for actions of their government or their army, which they themselves often condemn,” Klein told the newspapers of the Funke media group. “The progressive Israeli cultural scene is already suffering considerably from this.”
Cultural workers from Israel are facing “increasing international isolation,” said Klein. He also criticized the fact that climate activist Greta Thunberg took part in the demonstrations against Israel. This was “sad, although not surprising,” he said. “Like the protesters in this country, they should realize that they are attacking in absolutely the wrong place.” On Saturday evening, the police led away 21-year-old Thunberg along with other demonstrators.
At the ESC venue in Malmö, Sweden, thousands of people demonstrated against Israel’s participation in the music competition against the backdrop of the war in the Gaza Strip. During Saturday night’s event, Israeli singer Eden Golan was booed and booed, and some spectators left the arena in protest during her performance. Golan, who is only 20 years old herself, made it to fifth place with her title “Hurricane” thanks to a strong audience vote.
With the Gaza War, Israel responded to the massacres and atrocities committed by Palestinian terrorists on October 7th, which left more than 1,200 dead. For some time now, however, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has had to put up with considerable international criticism of the military action against Hamas in the densely populated Gaza Strip. There have been thousands of civilian casualties there so far. The ongoing difficult humanitarian situation threatens to result in further deaths.