One of the three trade unions that represents staff at the Flemish public broadcaster VRT has said that further action against Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest could be on the cards. On Thursday the second semi-final of the contest will take place with the final being held on Saturday evening.
Possible further action against Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest says socialist trade union at the VRT
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Members of the socialist trade union ACOD at the VRT say that they are considering taking further action to protest against Isreal taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest. The union says that the European broadcasting Union EBU is guilty of censorship as it has banned any references to the violence in Gaza.
ACOD-VRT’s Wies Descheemaeker told VRT News that "If the EBU doesn’t ensure that all voices can be heard, a boycott will be the only option. By clinging on to being apolitical the EBU is in fact being political in a devious and cynical way”.
Mr Descheemaeker adds that further action may follow later this week. "The atrocities in Gaza are now worse than ever and this requires to be taken now." It is still unclear what form the action might take. The union will elaborate further on this at a press conference that will be held tomorrow.
During Tuesday evening’s first semi-final Oxfam and ACOD-VRT protested against Israel taking part in the contest. The VRT broadcast Oxfam’s ‘Speak Up For Palestine' film in which more than 130 well-known Flemings speak out against the violence in Gaza.