Letter Urging Malta Drop Out Of Eurovision If Israel Competes

A group of NGOs have written a pushback letter, addressed to the Minister of Culture Owen Bonnici, following his statement insisting that Malta remain a participant in the Eurovision Song Contest even if Israel is allowed to compete.

‘We want Malta to join the growing list of countries – those being Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia – putting pressure on the European Broadcasting Union to exclude Israel from the upcoming edition of the Eurovision Song Contest on the basis of its war crimes against the Palestinian people and the genocide it is currently committing’, the statement reads.

‘If the Eurovision Broadcasting Union refuses to comply, Malta must refuse to participate in a contest that so easily sweeps war crimes to the side for the sake of entertainment.’

‘Whilst we commend the Maltese Government’s recent decision to formally recognise the State of Palestine, this recognition would remain merely symbolic and unsubstantiated if Malta does not take concrete action against the total annihilation of Palestine and the Palestinian people by Israel.’

The organisations are Moviment Graffitti, Inizjamed, Solidarjeta’, Lebanese Advocates, Watermelon Warriors, Ġustizzja għall-Palestina, General Workers Union, Għaqda għall-Ġustizzja, Ugwaljanza u Paċi, Embassy of Palestine, Skop, Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA), and Kopin.

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