Åge Aleksandersen is one of 293 Norwegian artists and groups who have signed the petition against Israel being allowed to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest this year. He himself participated with Sambandet in 1980, in what has been called the best MGP final of all time, with a song that was a reaction to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. Aleksandersen says it was a matter of course for him to sign the petition. – It means so much to me. I have made songs that address this issue. And I think what is happening is so ugly, and it hurts me and many others. Therefore, it was right for me to contribute with my voice, he says. Åge Aleksandersen and Sambandet came second in Melodi Grand Prix in 1980 with “Bjørnen sover”. Photo: Paul Owesen / NTB Other names on the long list are Ane Brun, Aurora and Karpe are among those who have signed the petition. In addition, a number of former MGP artists, such as Ulrikke Brandstorp, Maria Haukaas Mittet and Jørn Hoel, have signed. Karpe is among the nearly 300 Norwegian artists who have signed the petition. Photo: Terje Bendiksby / NTB Pål Moddi Knutsen, known under the stage name Moddi, chose to sign because he has experienced how Israel uses culture politically. – I myself have tried to put on a concert in Israel, and experienced that it was seen as support for Israel’s occupation of Palestine. Culture and sport are used actively in Israeli society to legitimize the current politics. Pål Moddi Knutsen says he himself has experienced how Israel uses culture in branding. Here during the Fosen action in front of the Storting last year. Photo: Terje Bendiksby / NTB The petition states that Israel’s violation of international law is normalized when there are no consequences. “For now, the EBU says that it will not ban Israel from this year’s final in Malmö 2024, as it did with Russia after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This is selective morality and politics from a union that claims to be apolitical,” they write in the appeal . Meiner EBU makes Eurovision political It is the artists Marthe Valle and Marte Wulff who are the initiators of the appeal. Valle says they want news to take more responsibility and put pressure on the EBU to exclude Israel, as they did with Russia in 2022. – We wish we didn’t have to do this. We wish news took responsibility. But then the point of this appeal is to show that there are many voices who now say that Israel cannot be a participant in Eurovision, she says to news. Artist Marthe Valle is one of those behind the petition which is critical of Israel’s participation in Eurovision. Photo: Hanna Johre / news According to the regulations, Eurovision must be apolitical. But Valle thinks the EBU counteracts this when they differentiate between Israel and Russia. – Right now there is very little that is as political as Eurovision. All the time we are selective about when we should promote morality and politics, and when we choose to overlook it. We cannot pretend that this should be an arena for dialogue and solidarity, when Israel kills several hundred children a day, she says. Demonstrators have protested outside news against Israel’s participation in Eurovision in connection with the Dolphin Games in MGP. Photo: Amanda Iversen Orlich / news Does not change position The pressure to exclude Israel from the music competition has been great after over 110 days of war in Gaza. But both EBU and news have previously said that it is out of the question to exclude the country. Entertainment editor Charlo Halvorsen at news. Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB Entertainment editor at news, Charlo Halvorsen, says he understands the desperation behind the appeal that has now come, but that this does not change news’s position. – news is a public broadcaster with a news mission that cannot go out with its own cultural boycott of a country. – How does news approach such a call? – We conduct independent and critical journalism on the warfare in Gaza every single day, and that journalism is based on integrity in the coverage. So I understand the petition, but the addressee should be the Storting and the government. That is where a Norwegian cultural boycott can be decided. Nordic protests Israel’s participation in Eurovision is a topic in our Nordic neighboring countries as well. In Finland, 1,300 musicians have signed a petition to put pressure on the Finnish broadcaster Yle. – Israel violates human rights. We don’t think it’s right for the country to take part in Eurovision to polish its image, says initiator Lukas Korpelainen to the newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet. The Icelandic broadcaster RUV says they are unsure whether Iceland will participate in the final in Sweden. They say they initially want to participate, but that it can change if the winner of the national final of the song competition Söngvakeppnin does not want to participate.
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Norwegian artists call for Israel to participate in Eurovision – news Culture and entertainment
