According to the Turkish outlet Cumhuriyet, Germany's public broadcaster ARD played a pivotal role in ensuring Israel's participation in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, threatening to withdraw from the event if Israel was excluded.
This claim, which has not been confirmed and was reported by only one journalist who is known for his critical stance on Israel, comes amid widespread calls to expel Israel from the competition due to its actions in Gaza.
Dr. Martin Gak, a journalist based in Germany, told Cumhuriyet that ARD's stance was decisive. "Germany is a powerful member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). When various broadcasters demanded Israel's expulsion, the Germans stated they would pull out if Israel's participation was suspended," Gak said, citing a source within the EBU. He added, "If you look at the German government's relationship with Israel, this claim becomes highly credible."
Gak, who has not hid his anti-Israle stance, pointed to the EBU's swift expulsion of Russia in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine, where the stated reason was that Russia's participation would "damage the competition's reputation." He argued, "Two years later, in 2024, Israel is devastating Gaza, killing thousands of civilians, including journalists, children, and women, and destroying civilian infrastructure, cultural institutions, and universities. Yet Israel was not excluded."
Gak also highlighted the case of Dutch contestant Joost Klein, a favorite in the 2024 contest, who was disqualified after publicly criticizing Israel. "Klein, sitting next to the Israeli contestant at a press conference, openly opposed Israel's participation," Gak recounted. "Days later, rumors emerged that Klein had harassed or bullied a female crew member backstage, and the EBU announced an investigation." Gak claimed that Israelis accused Klein, and the EBU disqualified him from the finals without awaiting the investigation's outcome. "A smear campaign was launched against Klein for criticizing Israel's participation," Gak asserted.
