Eurovision Song Contest

Despite calls from some public broadcasters to exclude Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, reports suggest that Germany played a decisive role in ensuring Israel’s continued participation.

According to revelations by journalist Dr. Martin Gak in the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet, the German public broadcaster ARD threatened to withdraw from the contest if the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) decided to exclude Israel.

Gak, citing a source within the EBU, claims that ARD exerted strong pressure on other member broadcasters, making it clear that any decision to bar Israel would result in Germany pulling out as well. It is worth noting that Germany is the most populous country participating in Eurovision, a member of the EBU and one of the Big Five, and also pays the highest participation fee among all competing nations.