Tension between Eurovision and Rtve for the mentions of the Spanish commentators to the conflict of Gaza | Television
The presence of Israel in Eurovision Continue to cause tensions to the Festival. RTVE suddenly a poster before the emission of the final in which he was read, in Spanish and in English: “In front of human rights, silence is not an option. Peace and justice for Palestine”. “When human rights are at stake, silence is not an option. Peace and justice for Palestine.” While this newspaper advanced in the morning, Rtve had prepared a gesture during the Basel final. Shortly thereafter, Tony Aguilar and Julia Varela, the two Tve presenters, commented on the performance of the representative of Israel, Yuval Raphaelnormally and without any specific message.
Previously, the European transmission union (UR) had threatened Rtve of “punitive fines” for Spain if repeated references to the conflict of Gaza, As happened in the retransmission of 2 of last Thursday. This was known to the European Agency of Ana María Bordás, head of the Spanish delegation and the next president of the reference group of the European competition from next month, in a letter sent this Friday to which this newspaper had access and confirms the Uer. The text is signed by the president of the reference group Eurovision, the Swiss Bakel Walden, and the Swedish Martin Osterdahl, executive supervisor of the competition.
For its part, the public company issued a declaration from the information councils on Saturday evening in which they expressed their “concern about the threat of the European Union of Transmissions” after having warned with “economically sanctioning Rtve if the conflict in Gaza is mentioned again”. In addition, he defended his commentators’ right to “do it freely”.
During the second semifinal of Eurovision 2025, Aguilar and Varela took advantage of the presentation of Israel, to remember the request that Rtve He sent a month ago to discuss Israel’s participation In the competition. Both commentators also remembered the More than 50,000 civilian victims For attacks in Gaza, of which over 15,000 are children, according to the United Nations data mentioned in their speech.
RTVE officially confirmed this newspaper that the commentators read that message “coordinated with the chain”. They also claim to be surprised that “asking respect for human rights and peace and justice, in a comment that clarified that it was not aimed at any country in particular” supposes a conflict with the UU, while the agency responsible for the Eurovision “does not consider the fact that the delegation of Israel underlines the conditions of its candidate as the victim of the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023.
These same sources believe that the Uuer “manages very badly” the controversy of the presence of Israel in Eurovision “,As happened last year too“, Since, in his opinion, the European Agency” is trying to have no criticism and, with this, no look at freedom of expression. “
Like the Spaniards, other delegations, such as Slovenia, Iceland and Ireland, They officially requested a reflection similar to Eurovision Around Israel in recent weeks.
Writing is UR reaction to this intervention by Aguilar and Varela. In his text, the Spanish public chain urges to remember “that all commentators must meet the rules of the festival and the commentator’s manual”. “These guidelines”, says the text in English, “prohibit political declarations that can compromise the neutrality of the competition. The figures of the victims have not placed in a apolitical entertainment program whose motto, United for MusicIt embodies our commitment to the unit, “continues the message sent to Bordás.
“It is essential that their commentators comply with these rules without exception (…) to preserve the apolitical character of Eurovision and respect the ethics and the standards established in the rules. We plan that the full cooperation of RTVE avoids repeating. Any subsequent violation can lead to punitive fines according to the rules”, the two managers of the UER conclude.
Sources close to the Spanish public entity confirm that the managers of the Israeli public broadcaster On Friday they filed a formal complaint at URER at noon against Varela and Aguilar’s intervention. And that, hours later, Eurovision’s officials contacted Rtve to request what can be read in the letter sent in a conversation in which “there was no negotiation margin”.
Before Rtve, the public television of the Belgian Region of Flanders (VRT), which also supported the request for debate by RTVE, included in the transmission of the first semifinal on Tuesday a message in support of Palestine, after last year he decided to cut Israel’s performance in the final.
One of the three unions that represents the staff of the Radio della Radio Public Radio Flamenco VRT has declared that new measures could be taken against the participation of Israel, announced the chain itself on its websitewithout specifying what they would consist of.
During a general process, Yuval Raphael’s performance was interrupted when six people were evicted transporting great flags and whistles. The safety personnel quickly identified the people involved and the escort outside the room, According to the Swiss Broadcasting and Television Society (SRG)the public entity of the country.
Blanca Paloma, representative of Spain in Eurovision 2023, was the first Spanish to sign the letter in which the expulsion of Israel of Eurovision is used considering that “a tool is used to cover the crimes against humanity”. The petition has the support of about 80 artists who have passed the Festival, including those of the Portuguese winner Salvador Sobral.
