Germany: calls to boycott Israeli artists at Eurovision are unacceptable | Names

Israeli singer Eden Golan made it to this weekend’s Eurovision Grand Final on Thursday, despite more than 10,000 people taking to the streets of Malmö. people opposed to her country’s involvement.

However, German Culture Minister Claudia Roth said that “calls to boycott Israeli artists participating in cultural events in this country and in other European countries, including Germany, are completely unacceptable.”

“We especially need more cultural cooperation between Europe and Israel these days,” she added on the X social network.

Eurovision stars from Israel were and still are symbols of an open and diverse society. “Anti-Semitism, hatred and violence have no place at this important music event,” she emphasized.

Germany is one of the main supporters of Israel. Since the unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7, which sparked the war in the Gaza Strip, it has strongly supported the country.

The war between Israel and Hamas followed an Oct. 7 attack by Palestinian militants in southern Israel that killed 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to official figures.

In the attack, Hamas militants took about 250 hostages, 128 of whom Israel says remain in the Gaza Strip, including 36 hostages who died.

After promising to destroy Hamas, Israel launched a massive military offensive. The Health Ministry of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip said at least 34,904 people, mostly women and children, had been killed during the war in the territory.