The president of the deputies of La Francia Insumisa, Mathilde Panot, asked on Wednesday to “exclude Israel” from Eurovision 2024 to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
“Voices are being raised from all over the world to demand a ceasefire. But Eurovision remains silent,” lamented Mathilde Panot in a message posted on social media at the final of this song contest, before Saturday’s final.
“In the name of peace and love of culture, we, deputies of European countries, MEPs, artists, citizens, call to exclude Israel from Eurovision,” he added, and concluded: “We will not let Palestine disappear.”
Petitions, speeches and symbols on stage
Since the beginning of the year, petitions have multiplied demanding Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision. At the end of March, candidates from nine countries, including Bambie Thug (Ireland), called for a lasting ceasefire.
On Tuesday, during the first semi-final, Swedish singer Eric Saade, whose father is of Palestinian origin, protested Israel’s participation by wearing a keffiyeh around his arm during his performance.
The Israeli military on Wednesday carried out airstrikes and deadly “targeted” operations in the Palestinian city of Rafah, threatened by a major ground offensive, as truce negotiations between Israel and Hamas take place in Cairo.
Hamas is responsible for an unprecedented attack against Israel carried out on October 7, 2023 from Gaza, which left more than 1,170 dead, mostly civilians, according to an AFP report based on official data. More than 250 people were kidnapped during the attack and 128 remain captive in Gaza, 36 of whom are considered dead, according to the military.
The Israeli response was devastating: the avalanche of fire on the Gaza Strip, where some 2.4 million Palestinians are crowded, has so far cost the lives of 34,844 people according to Hamas, causing a humanitarian catastrophe with a situation of famine in the north according to the UN and colossal destruction.
Source: BFM TV
