Ten countries, including favourite Finland and controversial competitor Israel, secured places on Tuesday in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. The contest’s 70th anniversary edition has been overshadowed by divisions, with five countries — Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland — boycotting in protest against Israel’s war in Gaza, which has killed at least 75,000 Palestinians since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. For more, FRANCE 24’s Nadia Massih is joined by renowned Israeli singer Noa, who previously represented Israel at Eurovision in 2009 alongside Mira Awad, a Palestinian citizen of Israel. Noa has frequently used her platform to speak out against Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in both the occupied West Bank and Gaza.
It’s brave of Noa to speak out against her own government’s actions, but I wonder if her voice will actually change anything or just be drowned out by the politics surrounding Eurovision.
The five boycotting countries make a strong statement, but singling out Israel while ignoring other conflicts feels selective.
75,000 Palestinians dead is an unimaginable number—how can Eurovision just go on like it’s business as usual?
Both sides seem dug in with no real willingness to compromise. (16002f)
I remember Noa and Mira Awad’s performance in 2009—it was a powerful symbol of coexistence. It’s sad to see how far things have gone since then.
When does the cycle of retaliation ever actually stop? (a35d11)
Both sides seem dug in with no real willingness to compromise. (6b1a86)
What exactly is the endgame here? Nobody seems to have a clear answer. (081be9)
Both sides seem dug in with no real willingness to compromise. (d55eaf)
Children growing up in conflict zones never stand a fair chance. (0fd600)
The refugee crisis is creating ripple effects far beyond the immediate region. (b80021)
How can anyone watch this and still argue that war is ever justified? (fa9512)