Greek state broadcaster ERT’s supportive coverage of Israel at Eurovision and Adonis Georgiadis’ provocative post draw backlash.

ERT’s introduction to the Israeli singer at this year’s Eurovision was strikingly supportive. The presenters described her as “a 25-year-old girl who survived the attack on her country in October 2023. She is very low-key, as is the entire Israeli delegation this year. The organisers operated with the well-known Swiss art of neutrality, creating safety and respite zones for all sides. Last year’s experience taught everyone. ‘A New Day Will Rise’ is the title of the song, and we wish it with all our hearts for everyone.”

This sympathetic tone, delivered against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing military assault on Gaza, has drawn criticism for aligning too closely with the narrative of a state accused of systemic war crimes and mass civilian casualties. Critics argue that such language serves to obscure the harsh realities of the occupation, framing Israel as a victim while downplaying the suffering of the Palestinian people.

Adding fuel to the controversy, Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis made a similarly provocative post celebrating Israel’s Eurovision success. He wrote: “However, beyond the immense joy and pride that yesterday’s Greek participation gave us, for which we owe sincere congratulations, it is worth highlighting the phenomenon of Israel’s participation.”

Georgiadis continued with a characteristic swipe at the left, claiming: “Across Europe, the public chose Israel as their first preference, while the artistic committees – always left-wing, everywhere and here – placed it very low (unacceptably low). A complete division between the audience and the committees.”

In a nod to far-right rhetoric, he concluded: “Bravo to the world that was not influenced by the propaganda of the Left and supported the great Western Republic of the Middle East in these difficult moments and in this competition,” describing Israel as a “Western Republic of the Middle East” – a term that neatly sidesteps the state’s ongoing occupation and the over 53,000 Palestinian deaths recorded in the past two years.

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