Sport and culture: how far can protests against Israel go?
The final stage of the La Vuelta cycling race was cut short in Spain on Sunday due to protests against the war in Gaza. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also called for Israel to be excluded from international sporting events and some countries are protesting Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, which they threaten to boycott. Europe's press discusses how to deal with Israeli athletes and artists.
Demonisation instead of real-world policies
The Times criticises Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for calling for Israeli athletes to be excluded from competitions in Spain and for endorsing the protests at the Vuelta a España cycling race:
“Not a single life has been saved in Gaza as a result of blocking the cyclists. More could have been achieved in that strip of land, or other trouble spots such as Ukraine for that matter, if Spain paid more into the western kitty for defence. ... Señor Sanchez may think he enjoys popular support for the demonisation and cultural isolation of Israel. But blocking the path of cyclists in a race is merely an offensive stunt. A statesman would set out real-world policies that might stand a chance of easing the conflict in the Middle East.”
The end of neutrality in sports
Former Spanish secretary of state for Sport, Irene Lozano Domingo, writes in eldiario.es:
“Protests at sports events will increase: in a world of growing geopolitical tensions, neutrality in sports becomes impossible. ... If [the organisers] had respected the justified unease of Spanish society the improvised and chaotic suspension of the race could have been avoided. ... Not because it conveys a bad image of Spain: millions of Europeans feel the same way. ... The problem is the open schism between citizens and sports managers. ... Because sport is an expression of society and will never remain on the fringes of it.”
Pop singers are not Netanyahu
Artists taking part in the ESC shouldn't be made to pay for the Israeli government's excesses, Der Standard stresses:
“No one in their right mind would deny the suffering being inflicted on civilians in Gaza by Israel. ... Let us not forget, however, that the conflict in which it is now using disproportionate means was forced upon it. Hence, all comparisons with the aggressor Russia must be rejected. Austria, as the host of the ESC 2026, should take a clear stance: European politicians can, and indeed should, put Netanyahu's war cabinet in its place. There are plenty of ways to apply pressure. But artists from Israel are part of civilised global society. They should be given a dignified, civilised welcome. Even, and especially, when they sing pop songs.”
Boycott is the price for passivity
In view of the inaction of European politicians, it's no wonder the calls for boycotts are proliferating, De Volkskrant argues:
“Yes, it's true that Europeon its own has little direct influence. ... As long as the US government continues to back Netanyahu, the Israeli army will continue its disastrous mission. But this pragmatism has a downside: those who base their positions primarily on the stance of powerful allies make it very easy for those same allies to persist in their passivity. The bar is being set ever lower. If politics remains passively pragmatic, the discontent will find other outlets: at cycling races, the Eurovision Song Contest or punk concerts.”
Exclusion is not antisemitism
The Munich Philharmonic under Israeli conductor Lahav Shani was disinvited from a music festival in Ghent last week, prompting accusations of antisemitism against the organisers of the event. De Standaard counters:
“The developments in Gaza are fuelling a spate of antisemitic incidents. The Israeli government, which since the late 20th century has sought to speak on behalf of all Jews worldwide, is partly responsible for this. All forms of antisemitism must be eradicated. This can only be achieved by addressing its racist content. But those who equate criticism of Israel or a boycott for political reasons with antisemitism are actually hindering the fight against it.”