RTÉ has said it has received a commitment from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to have a “wider discussion amongst members” concerning Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.
It comes after the national broadcaster’s director general, Kevin Bakhurst, sought a discussion on Israel’s inclusion with the EBU, which organises Eurovision. He had said he was “appalled” by the ongoing events in the Middle East and the “horrific impact on civilians in Gaza”.
In a statement, RTÉ said Mr Bakhurst and the broadcaster’s director of video, Steve Carson, met the EBU on Friday, during which they “raised RTÉ’s concerns”.
“There is a commitment from the EBU to have a wider discussion amongst members in due course,” said an RTÉ spokesman following the meeting.
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The EBU said: “We can confirm we had a conversation with RTÉ and have listened to their concerns. The EBU will continue to listen to all members.
“As we did in 2024, we will have a broader discussion when the contest concludes with all participating broadcasters to reflect on all aspects of this year’s event.”
Earlier this week, Mr Bakhurst said: “Notwithstanding the fact that the criterion for participating in the Eurovision Song Contest is membership of the European Broadcasting Union, RTÉ has nonetheless asked the EBU for a discussion on Israel’s inclusion in the contest.”
Mr Bakhurst’s intervention came after Eurovision chiefs pushed back against Irish objections to Israel’s participation, claiming earlier on Wednesday that no national broadcaster has “publicly opposed” the country taking part.
Journalists in the NUJ branch of RTÉ had also called on the national broadcaster to file an objection against Israeli participation with the EBU.
The contest’s director, Martin Green, said the EBU was aligned with other international groups that have “maintained their inclusive stance towards Israeli participants” in big competitions.
Asked about RTÉ’s goal in its intervention and whether Ireland could pull out of Eurovision, Mr Bakhurst said on Wednesday: “We absolutely won’t pull out of it.
“I just wanted to voice our concerns. I want to have a discussion with them.”
He added that it is a “very complicated issue” and he was “well aware” that a number of EBU members would not be in favour of excluding Israel.
The Eurovision Song Contest takes place next week in Basel, Switzerland, with the semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday (May 13th and May 15th), and the final on Saturday (May 17th).
