**Spanish Prime Minister Calls for Israel’s Eurovision Ban**
The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, has made a shocking demand: he wants Israel to be banned from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest. This decision comes after Israel was involved in military actions in Gaza.
Sanchez argues that there should be no “double standards” when it comes to international competitions. He points out that Russia was banned from competing in Eurovision back in 2022 due to its invasion of Ukraine. Sanchez believes that if Russia can be held accountable, then so can Israel.
The controversy surrounds Spain’s televote at the recent Eurovision contest. The Spanish viewers gave Israel a perfect score for their song “New Day Will Rise”. However, Israel finished second overall, and not first as expected.
Sanchez has faced backlash from Israeli officials, who have ridiculed his demands on social media. Amichai Chkli, the Israeli minister for diaspora issues, mocked Sanchez in a post that said the vote was a “slap on the face” to the Spanish PM.
**A History of Tensions**
This is not the first time that Sanchez and his government have been critical of Israel. Last week, the Prime Minister referred to Israel as a “genocidal nation” during a speech in Congress. This sparked a formal reprimand from Israel’s foreign ministry.
The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) has also gotten involved, with one of its members, RTVE, broadcasting a message of support for Palestinians ahead of the Eurovision final. Despite warnings to avoid any mention of Gaza, RTVE still chose to speak out.
**Spain’s Eurovision Performance**
Meanwhile, Spain’s own entry in the competition, “Esa Diva By Melody”, finished 24th overall on Saturday night. This lackluster performance has sparked debate among Spanish viewers, with some questioning whether their country was too focused on criticizing Israel and not enough on supporting its own artists.
**Commentary**
This controversy highlights the complexities of international relations and the challenges of navigating competing interests in the world of entertainment. The EBU will now be under pressure to review Spain’s televote and potentially take action against Israel, or else face accusations of double standards.
As tensions between Spain and Israel continue to escalate, it remains to be seen how this situation will play out. One thing is clear, however: the Eurovision Song Contest has become a platform for countries to express their opinions on sensitive global issues.
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