6 hours ago“Eurovision winner” calls for Israel's exclusion
Periskopi(a year ago)
(a year ago)Propalestinian organisations have called on the European Broadcasting Union to expel Israel from the 2025 race, but Israeli Yuval Raphael, who survived the October 7th attack, was the winner with television audience votes, finishing second after JJ. But a call like this has been made by the winner [...]
Propalestinian organisations have called on the European Broadcasting Union to expel Israel from the 2025 race, but Israeli Yuval Raphael, who survived the October 7th attack, was the winner with television audience votes, finishing second after JJ. But a call like this has been made by this year's winner. He has said that he would like an edition without Israel for the coming year, since he is disappointed that he has not been expelled so far.
Austrian singer JJ, which won this year's “Eurovision”, has called for Israel to be excluded from “Eurovision Song Contest 2026” in Vienna because of the war in Gaza, reports “Reuters”.
“Eurovision”, which stresses its political neutrality, has again faced controversy related to war. The Israeli military campaign has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians in Gaza, health authorities have reported, since a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, in which, according to Israeli figures, about 1,200 people were killed.
Propalestinian organisations have called on the European Broadcasting Union to expel Israel from the 2025 race, but Israeli Yuval Raphael, who survived the October 7th attack, was the winner with television audience votes, finishing second after JJ.
It is very frustrating to see Israel still taking part in the race. I'd like the next song contest, Eurovision, held in Vienna and without Israel”, the 24-year-old was quoted as saying. JJ, reports Spanish newspaper “El Pais, writes time.net.
Israel's embassy in Madrid did not immediately respond to “'s demand toReuters” for comment.
With his song “Wested Love”, the opera singer ʹ whose real name is Johannes Pietsch ) received the “Eurovision jury votes in the Swiss Basel contest last week.
Although “El Pais” did not mention the war in the interview, JJ statements coincide with the call of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday, for Israel to be excluded from cultural events such as “Eurovision Song Contest” due to the Gaza conflict.
The JJ was also quoted as saying that the voting counting system should be revised to improve transparency. He is the third Austrian winner of <x0 Eurovision”, which has become the world's largest music contest, followed by more than 160 million people.
Israel's success in the public vote in this year's edition of the European Song Race has sparked reactions since last Saturday after the final, while some states have reacted to the issue of voting.
Singer Yuval Raphael placed first in public voting Saturday with the “Day Will Reese”, but generally remained second after Austria when the jury's votes were considered.
Broadcasters in Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Iceland and Finland have expressed questions about the public vote, and some have also requested auditing.
The organisers of “Eurovision” from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) have said the vote has been independently verified, but they take sides' concerns seriously.
Israel was 14th in the jury vote, but was raised to the top thanks to telephone and online voting.
Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom were among the states whose viewers divided the maximum score (12) Israel, while Ireland and Finland separated it from 10.
Irish broadcaster RTE has demanded full analysis of the vote by organisers.
This came after the Spanish broadcaster RTVE said it will seek investigation of the results and revision of the televoting system.
Viewers could vote up to 20 times over the phone, text messages or apps.
A system in which everyone can vote up to 20 times is one that encourages manipulation. Whether this manipulation has occurred in our country and in all participating and non-partial states, there must be an investigation of”, Belgian MP Katia Segers said.
Meanwhile, a Belgian public broadcaster spokesman V RT has said there are no indicators that there has been a miscount of public votes, but that they will seek full transparency from the EBU. /Periscope/
