Flemish media minister Benjamin Dalle (Christian democrat/CD&V) is in favour of excluding the State of Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest "as long as the offensive in Gaza causes so many civilian casualties". Earlier, the culture minister of the Belgium’s Francophone community Bénédicte Linard (green/Ecolo) said that in her personal opinion Israel could not now participate in the song contest.
Minister Dalle says organisers of cultural, sporting and other events must assess whether an Israeli participation is appropriate at a time when innocent civilians, including children and women, are being killed by the Israeli army. "Celebrating such a wonderful, unifying festival together with a participant that violates international humanitarian law and children's rights on this scale is not acceptable."
Like his Francophone green colleague, the CD&V minister notes that the decision is in the hands of the EBU. He has been in contact with the Flemish public broadcaster, the VRT, on this matter and it has expressed these reservations to the EBU. "The best solution is not that Israel does not participate in the Song Contest, but that Israel stops making innocent victims, including some 12,500 children so far."
Mr Dalle is also responsible for youth policy. In that capacity, he has called more than once for respect for human rights in Gaza and in particular for respect for children's rights and international humanitarian law.