THE BBC has been urged to join Irish broadcaster RTE and Slovenian broadcaster RTVSLO in boycotting Eurovision if Israel is involved.
Spain’s culture minister has also called for Israel to be removed amid its genocide in Gaza.
The Eurovision song contest will take place in Vienna next May, with an estimated 160 million viewers.
The Scottish Greens culture spokesperson, Patrick Harvie, has now called on the UK broadcaster to join the boycott.
“Eurovision is a celebration of diversity, love and unity. I want people to be able to truly enjoy it, but that’s not possible if it’s being used to whitewash genocide,” he said.
“We must never normalise war crimes. When Gaza is being obliterated, and the Palestinian people collectively punished and deliberately starved, we all need to take a stand. That includes Eurovision.
“As one of the ‘big 5’ Eurovision broadcasters, the BBC carries a loud voice and should use it to join RTE and others in speaking out against Israel’s inclusion and joining the boycott.”
He added: “Russia has been rightly excluded since its illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine. Palestinian lives are worth just as much as Ukrainian ones, and the same principles have to apply.”
A spokesperson for Eurovision said it was up to each state to decide if it wanted to take part in the contest.
An RTE statement said that at the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union in July, “a number of EBU members raised concerns about the participation of Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest”.
It added: “RTE wishes to thank the EBU for the extensive consultation process that was initiated on foot of that meeting, and the extension of the option to withdraw from participation without penalty to December.
“It is RTE’s position that Ireland will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if the participation of Israel goes ahead, and the final decision regarding Ireland’s participation will be made once the EBU’s decision is made.”
