The Eurovision Song Contest Was Traditionally a Lighthearted Spectacle – But It Has Become a Calculated Tool to Sanitize Conflict.
A new initialism emerged a few months following the onset of the intensive bombing of Gaza by Israel. Labeled WCNSF, it stands for “Wounded child, no surviving family”. This designation is specific to Gaza, per insights from medical experts including paediatricians. Normally, it is rare for doctors to attend to a young patient who has been bereaved of their complete family. But, there has been no semblance of normality about the widespread destruction in Gaza, where complete genealogies have been obliterated and the number of young amputees is greater than that of any other place in the world. Nothing normal about many doctors arriving back from a landscape of rubble with reports of children being systematically aimed at.
A Living Nightmare Regardless of a Announced Cessation of Hostilities
The Gaza Strip continues to be hell on earth. Critical healthcare resources are not getting in those in need, and international watchdogs contend that genocidal acts are ongoing. Authorities disputes these accusations, just as it refutes all charges it is charged with. Yet as traumatised orphans are now suffering from the cold in temporary shelters, there is a piece of uplifting information: apparently nothing is going to stop the Eurovision song contest from advancing its declared purpose of “togetherness and cultural exchange.” The contest will continue to extend a welcoming platform for Israel, even though several European countries have now pulled out in protest. And this, apparently, is what global togetherness looks like.
Historically, Eurovision banned Russia from competing in 2022 because of the “serious conflict in Ukraine”. However, the situation in Gaza seems completely different.
A Double Standard
Disregard the reality that Israel was accused of unfair vote practices last year in what could be seen as an attempt to politicise Eurovision. Forget the fact that a toddler was reportedly killed in Gaza on a recent Sunday. Forget the fact that settler violence and coerced removal in the West Bank have escalated. Disregard the condition that foreign reporters are still prevented from independent reporting in Gaza. All of this, apparently, should be allowed to get in the way of Eurovision’s much-touted ethos of unity.
The Contest Continues Amidst Staggering Tragedy
The contest turns 70 next year – nearly twice the projected longevity of an individual in Gaza today. The show may go on, but it will find it impossible to reclaim the camp joy it was formerly known for. A competition that once promoted harmony has devolved into a blatant mechanism to sanitize military aggression.
