Multiple countries have announced a boycott of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest after it was announced that Israel, the world’s only Jewish state, will be allowed to compete.
The nations that will no longer be taking part include Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia.
The decision to allow Israel’s participation in the contest came after the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) general assembly met today in which members voted in a secret ballot. The EBU said that the members had shown “clear support for reforms to reinforce trust and protect neutrality”.
At this year’s Eurovision contest, Israel’s National Security Council was forced to issue a warning advising Jews and Israelis visiting Switzerland, the host country, to “avoid displaying Israeli and Jewish symbols in public” for their own safety.
More than four-fifths (84%) of British Jews agree that boycotts of Israeli artists, academics or businesses selling Israeli products constitute intimidation, according to our representative polling.
