This year’s Eurovision Song Contest, held on Saturday in Basel, Switzerland, once again highlighted the cultural whitewashing that the apartheid state of Israel attempts through its participation, despite its ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people. This year, the situation was even more charged, as Israeli singer Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the October 7th Hamas operation, performed the song "New Day Will Rise," a piece about "hope." Israel’s second-place finish, the political undertones of the event, allegations of vote rigging, and the ensuing reactions have sparked significant controversy.

Protests in Basel

Ahead of the contest, a parade of this year’s participants took place outside Basel’s city hall, drawing a crowd of demonstrators protesting Israel’s inclusion. They denounced the ongoing slaughter in Gaza, where over 52,000 Palestinians have been killed, holding Palestinian flags and anti-genocide placards while chanting slogans like “No applause for genocide” and “We sing while Gaza burns.” Some protesters faced violent police repression, underscoring the tensions surrounding the event.

The myth of ‘neutrality’

From the opening number, it became clear that claims of “neutrality” would be hard to maintain. The hosts of the event included a provocative line in their song, declaring:

“Eurovision is non-political, strictly neutral, doesn’t matter if you’re good or brutal.”

This lyric, dropped amid an ongoing genocide, sparked widespread backlash online, with many criticising its perceived attempt to shield Israel from scrutiny.

Suppression of pro-Palestine voices

Reports also surfaced about the silencing of pro-Palestine audience members. Videos circulated showing security personnel aggressively removing spectators waving Palestinian flags or chanting “Freedom for Palestine”, a stark contrast to the event’s claimed neutrality. This heavy-handed response further exposed the contest’s alignment with Israeli interests, reinforcing criticisms that the event has become a platform for cultural whitewashing.

Israel’s controversial second place and vote rigging claims

Despite receiving relatively low jury scores, Israel finished in second place, allegedly buoyed by public televotes that awarded it 297 points. Yuval Raphael, the artist representing Israel, is a survivor of the Hamas attack on October 7th at the Nova music festival, adding a highly charged political dimension to her entry.

However, the results have been met with scepticism. Spanish public broadcaster RTVE has formally requested a review of the televoting process, suspecting irregularities. According to El Pais, RTVE plans to demand a detailed audit from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) over apparent discrepancies in the Spanish vote count. Initial figures shared with the Spanish delegation omitted critical data on individual vote tallies, raising concerns about transparency.

RTVE’s scrutiny comes amid growing unease, as other national broadcasters are reportedly considering similar challenges, pointing to a potentially broader crisis over the credibility of this year’s results.

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