Norwegian artists sing against Israel’s participation in Eurovision

On Tuesday, Daniel Kvammen, Jørn Hoel and Chris Medina are at the head of 20 Norwegian artists in a singing action against Israel’s participation in Eurovision.

– I am almost speechless, says Jørn Hoel to VG.

– What is happening in Palestine is so horrific and we cannot just sit and watch without doing anything, says Daniel Kvammen.

The action takes place at Operataket in Oslo on Tuesday morning at 09.15.

In a press release from the action group for Palestine, it is stated that 538 Norwegian artists and a total of over 4,000 Nordic artists have signed a petition demanding that Israel be banned from this year’s Eurovision Song Contest for its persistent violations of
international law.

– It is not understandable

– It is so difficult to talk about this. Simply because what is happening in Gaza now is so bad. It is incomprehensible that the world does not react more to this, says Jørn Hoel further.

It is really his hope that Norway will help ensure that Israel is not allowed to take part in Eurovision this year, which takes place in Malmö between 7 and 11 May.

– It simply does not work out that we should just pretend that nothing is happening in Palestine and that Israel should be allowed to take part in an event that many associate with something that is just pleasant.

Jørn Hoel emphasizes to VG that this has nothing to do with Jew hatred.

– We have to show where we stand morally

Daniel Kvammen, who is also at the head of the many Norwegian artists who have signed the petition – and who sings at Operaytaket on Tuesday, continues.

– It is important that we as artists show where we stand morally, says Kvammen.

He goes on to say that what is happening is so horrific – and that you cannot just sit and watch.

– It certainly doesn’t feel right.

The action group for Palestine states that the celebrity choir will sing Nordahl
Grieg’s war-critical “Til Ungdommen” as many times as they can in 15 minutes from the Opera roof.

The Action Group for Palestine believes it is both important and right that
NRK encourages the broadcasting union EBU, which is behind the competition, to ban Israel as they did ahead of Russia’s exclusion in 2022. But NRK has refused to do that.

Charlo Halvorsen, entertainment editor at NRK, has previously stated to VG that it is not NRK as a broadcaster that can boycott:

– NRK cannot call for a cultural boycott. It is not in our mandate as a broadcaster. It would be completely impossible for us. We cover conflicts in the Middle East, and if we as a broadcasting company were to take a position in a conflict, it would have made it difficult for our impartiality.