Due to a social movement within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the security of the Israeli delegation to Eurovision cannot be guaranteed.
The 2022 edition of Eurovision could take place without Israel. Israeli public broadcaster Kan announced on Twitter on Tuesday that the country will not travel to Turin, where the final will take place on May 14. He is calling for a protest movement within the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which makes it impossible to guarantee the protection of the delegation.
“Due to the strike at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Israeli internal security service will not be able to lead the Israeli delegation to the Eurovision Song Contest (…) The Israeli delegation will not even participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 song in Turin.”
Huge social movement
The Workers’ Union of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to this press release in the columns of the Jerusalem Post: “(We are saddened) that the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have not found a way for months to solve the problems of the employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
The same media mentioned from January, the social movement that is stirring up the ministry. Workers have suffered from numerous cutbacks so that their overtime hours would no longer be paid – the grumbles are all the more important that their relationships with Israeli embassies around the world require them to be available 24 hours a day.
Uncertainties persist
Michael Ben David, the Israeli candidate for Eurovision 2022, was appointed last February. He must represent his country with the piece I’M The artist has not yet responded to Kan’s announcement.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which is responsible for organizing the competition, is also silent, leaving the door open for other solutions, including remote participation by Israel.
Israel is particularly attached to the Eurovision Song Contest. Since its first entry in 1973, the country has won four times (including the last in Lisbon in 2018 with Netta Barzilai’s Toy). In addition, every year Tel Aviv hosts the Israel Calling event a few weeks before the final, to bring the most participants together for a promotional week and a concert.
