ALBAWABA - The singing contest Eurovision is under fire for "double standards" by allowing Israel to compete in 2024 but not Russia in 2022 due to the ongoing aggression on Ukraine.
Pro-Palestine activists across social media platforms took to X (formerly Twitter) and voiced their opinions about the matter with several urging Europe to disqualify Israel from the contest for its ongoing aggression on Gaza which resulted in the killing of more than 27,000 Palestinians since Oct. 7, 2023, with a large majority of the casualties being children.
Eurovision under fire for allowing Israel to compete
According to Al Jazeera, More than 20 politicians of whom are from Spain’s left-wing Podemos party wrote to the European Broadcasting Union that Israel's participation in the contest “whitewashes a regime that is carrying out ethnic cleansing in Palestine and committing war crimes and genocide”.
Politicians aren't the only ones who stood their ground for the Palestinian people as many musicians and artists across Europe including Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Ireland also wrote letters to the European Broadcasting Union demanding the seclusion of Israel from the competition.
Members of the Palestinian band Dawaween perform during a musical event calling for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest hosted by Israel, on the rubble of a building that was recently destroyed by Israeli air strikes, in Gaza City on May 14, 2019. (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS / AFP)
Moreover, Iceland is among the countries that are reconsidering its participation in Eurovision if Israel joins the competition.
Here's what some users had to say about the matter:
"Such BS."
"Who's running it, Twitter's "Trust and Safety" team?"
"Double standards."
"Where are the International laws? Are they blind or they don't want to stop them?"
