Since the war in Gaza began, the voices calling for Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision – as was the case with Russia’s exclusion due to the invasion of Ukraine – are constantly growing. But the organizers are perpendicular and Israel has been involved in the last two years, despite reactions.

Indeed, yesterday, in the second semifinal, Israeli spokesman and survived Hamas’s attack on Hamas attack, Yuval Raphael, passed to the final, with the whole symbolism of “New Day Will Rise”.

So what is happening and Israel still participates in Eurovision?

Some argue that people who run Eurovision, members of the European Union of Broadcasting Stations (EBU), are simply “unconscious”.

Others point out the sponsorship of the competition by Moroccanoil, which – despite its name – is Israeli. But a large international organization, such as EBU, is hardly dependent on a beauty company.

“The answer is more complicated than you can imagine,” the Guardian says.

Gaza war means that the European Union of Radio and Television (EBU) is risking its liberal reputation, but Israel’s ban would undermine the organization’s fundamental purpose.

EBU was founded in 1950, with technique and political mission as we call it today. Technically, it concerns the exchange of ideas and facilitating international broadcasts.

Politically, EBU supports public broadcasting with criticism and liberal direction: stations that operate exclusively as Governments’ bullies are excluded.

This is especially true in the case of Israel.

In 2017, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abolished the Israeli Broadcasting Authority (IBA), was considered “excessively left” – according to analysts.

IBA replaced by channel EVENwhich is more “obedient”, but not “a” captain “of the Israeli government.

With even Israel he returned to Eurovision (or vice versa).

Now, EBU feels obliged to protect the Kan, even if it puts it at risk the Eurovision brand.

This is, after all, her mission: The Defense of “Free and Independent” Public Broadcasting.

The conduct of the Eurovision song contest is only “tangent” to this mission, that is, of secondary importance.

EBU is in front of a dilemma

EBU is somehow victimized by its own success in Eurovision.

The contest has evolved from its original, virtually mild roots to something that sends strong social and political messages all over the world. The organizers had understood it and prevented it for years, as these messages were undoubtedly in liberal circles.

For example, when trans Israeli singer Dana International won in 1998, EBU accepted her because she was at the forefront of social change. The same with the magnificent victory of Conchita Wurst in 2014 as well as the victory of the Ukrainian war in 2022 by Kalush Orchestra and the song “Stefania”.

“Eurovision has in these cases good and wonderful things, such as love and peace,” the columnist says.

Now, EBU is in front of a dilemma.

Today’s Israeli government has nothing to do with the messages of the music competition, and even Israel’s participation has been criticized for being used as a way of supporting Israelis.

In the long run, ebu must: a) either to give up Eurovision organization either (b) to change its mission and put clearer rules of participationso that the competition really concerns “love” and “peace”.

But this will not happen this year.