Spanish broadcaster criticizes Israel’s attacks on Gaza during Eurovision

OVIEDO, Spain/BASEL, Switzerland

Spanish broadcaster TVE criticized Israel’s attacks on Gaza during a Eurovision broadcast Thursday evening.

As the Israeli candidate, Yuval Raphael, was introduced before her performance, TVE included captions questioning Israel’s participation in the song competition.

“TVE has requested a debate over its participation,” said one caption. “The victims of the Israeli attacks exceed 50,000, including more than 15,000 children.”

The Spanish broadcaster then called for “justice and respect for human rights” in the competition.

“This festival is peaceful,” it added.

Before diverging from the script, the captions noted that Raphael had survived the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas.

Last month, TVE called for a review of Israel’s participation in the event, citing public concern over the war in Gaza.

Last year, Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun spoke out against Israel’s participation, saying millions “felt ashamed” that Eurovision was being used to “whitewash a genocide.”

On Thursday, the Spanish ambassador to Israel was summoned after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez referred to Israel as a “genocidal state.”

People with Palestinian flags not allowed in Eurovision area

In St. Jakobshalle, Basel in Switzerland, where the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will be taking place, activists carrying Palestinian flags were forced to leave the area by police officers.

Speaking to Anadolu, Marta, who was among the activists carrying Palestinian flags, said she does not support a decision to allow a "genocidal state" to attend the contest.

"We are hosting (Eurovision), but I will not tolerate this. I do not want Israel participating in the Eurovision Song Contest while they are massacring Palestinians," she said.

Saying that she was just standing in the area with a Palestinian flag, Marta noted that police officers told her that if she did not leave there immediately or remove the flag, they would prevent her from entering the area for five days.

She added that the officer also said that no Palestinian flags would be allowed in front of or around the stadium.

Otto was another activist who had to leave the area just because he was carrying a Palestinian flag.

He told Anadolu that it is a "terrible crime" to allow the propaganda of a country "actively committing genocide, killing more than 50,000 people and injuring more than 100,000 people."

The death toll in Gaza has now surpassed 53,000.

Since March 2, Israel has kept Gaza crossings closed to food, medical and humanitarian aid, deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis in the enclave, according to government, human rights and international reports.

On Thursday, Doctors Without Borders said the last facility providing cancer treatment in the Gaza Strip “is now out of service.”