IRISH broadcaster RTÉ has asked the producer of Eurovision for a discussion on Israel's inclusion in the song contest.
The move comes after NUJ members at RTÉ called on the broadcaster to oppose Israel's participation in the event.
However, Martin Green, the Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, has rejected suggestions from the RTÉ journalists that other European broadcasters have publicly opposed Israel's participation.
Following a letter from RTÉ's NUJ members, the broadcaster's Director General, Kevin Bakhurst, said he had asked for a meeting with Eurovision's producer, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
Both RTÉ and Kan, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, are members of the EBU.
Kevin Bakhurst, Director General of RTÉ (Image: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie)In a statement, Mr Bakhurst said he was 'appalled by the ongoing events in the Middle East and by the horrific impact on civilians in Gaza, and the fate of Israeli hostages'.
"Notwithstanding the fact that the criterion for participating in the Eurovision Song Contest is membership of the European Broadcasting Union, RTÉ has nonetheless asked the EBU for a discussion on Israel's inclusion in the contest," he added.
"In doing this, we are mindful of RTÉ's obligations as an independent, impartial public service news and current affairs provider, and of the need to maintain RTÉ's objectivity in covering the war in Gaza.
"We are also very mindful of the severe political pressure on Israel's public service broadcaster, Kan, from the Israeli government."
Eurovision 'a universal event'
Meanwhile, Eurovision Director Mr Green disputed some of the claims made by RTÉ's NUJ members and emphasised that Kan does not represent the Israeli government.
"No participating EBU member broadcaster, who have all been widely consulted, has 'publicly opposed' Israeli broadcaster Kan's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest — despite the claims in another letter from RTÉ journalists," he said.
“The broadcasters mentioned in the letter, RTVE in Spain and RTVSLO in Slovenia, requested a discussion and RÚV in Iceland has informed us of their foreign minister's comments on Kan's participation.
"The EBU is not immune to global events but, together, with our members, it is our role to ensure the contest remains — at its heart — a universal event that promotes connections, diversity and inclusion through music.
"We all aspire to keep the Eurovision Song Contest positive and inclusive and aspire to show the world as it could be, rather than how it necessarily is.
Martin Green, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest (Image: Eurovision Song Contest / EBU)"The EBU is supporting our Israeli member Kan against the threat from being privatised or shut down by the Israeli government.
"The EBU remains aligned with other international organisations that have similarly maintained their inclusive stance towards Israeli participants in major competitions at this time."
In a post on Twitter./X, the NUJ Dublin Broadcasting Branch said it welcomed Mr Bakhurst's calls for a discussion around Israel's inclusion in Eurovision, saying it reflected the 'concerns of staff but also the strong Irish public sentiment of revulsion at Israel's actions in Gaza'.
It added: "The EBU response to our request that Israel be excluded will not convince the Irish public. It completely avoids the single most crucial factor which is Israel's current actions in Gaza."
Israel is due to be represented at Eurovision by Yuval Raphael, who survived the Hamas attack on a music festival in October 2023 in which around 1,200 were killed.
Since then, more than 52,000 people in Gaza have been killed as a result of Israel's military operations in the region, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying this week that he plans to expand and intensify the campaign.
