Three Maltese Eurovision stars join call to ban Israel from contest

Three Maltese Eurovision participants have signed an open letter urging the European Broadcasting Union to exclude the Israeli public broadcaster from the Eurovision Song Contest.

The three participants are: Amber, who performed with Warrior in 2015; Thea Garrett, who represented Malta in 2010 with My Dream; and Glen Vella, who participated in 2011 with One Life.

The open letter was signed by over 70 previous participants across the bloc. Some of the most notable signatories are: Salvador Sobral, who won the contest for Portugal in 2017; Hadise, who placed 4th in 2009 with Dum Tek Tek; and the members of Icelandic techno rock band Hatari, who had propped up a flag of Palestine during the 2019 contest held in Tel Aviv.

“We believe in the unifying power of music, which is why we refuse to allow music to be used as a tool to whitewash crimes against humanity. Last year, we were appalled that the EBU allowed Israel to participate while it continued its genocide in Gaza broadcast live for the world to see. The result was disastrous,” the letter reads.

Participants condemned the EBU for “granting total impunity to the Israeli delegation while repressing other artists and delegations, making the 2024 edition the most politicised, chaotic and unpleasant in the competition’s history”.

“Silence is not an option. When authoritarian movements and the far-right are on the rise around the globe, our duty to speak out has only become more pressing. We therefore join together to state that the EBU’s complicity with Israel’s genocide must stop.”

The letter states that the EBU is normalising and whitewashing Israel’s actions by giving a platform to the Israeli state. It also mentioned how the EBU expelled Russia from the competition in 2022. “We don’t accept this double standard regarding Israel.”

“As singers, songwriters, musicians and others who have had the privilege of participating in Eurovision, we urge the EBU and all its member broadcasters to act now and prevent further discredit and disruption to the festival: Israel must be excluded from Eurovision.”