RTÉ has asked the European Broadcasting Union for a discussion on Israel's inclusion in the Eurovision Song Contest, Director General Kevin Bakhurst has said.
In a statement Mr Bakhurst said: "I am appalled by the ongoing events in the Middle East and by the horrific impact on civilians in Gaza, and the fate of Israeli hostages.
"Notwithstanding the fact that the criterion for participating in the Eurovision Song Contest is membership of the European Broadcasting Union, RTÉ has nonetheless asked the EBU for a discussion on Israel's inclusion in the contest.
"In doing this, we are mindful of RTÉ's obligations as an independent, impartial public service news and current affairs provider, and of the need to maintain RTÉ's objectivity in covering the war in Gaza. We are also very mindful of the severe political pressure on Israel’s public service broadcaster, Kan, from the Israeli government."
His confirmation that RTÉ is asking for a discussion is in line with other broadcasters who have raised concerns around Israel’s participation this year.
Earlier, the Director of the Eurovision Song Contest said no participating European Broadcasting Union member has publicly opposed Israeli broadcaster Kan's participation in the event.
Martin Green was responding to a letter published by members of the National Union of Journalists at RTÉ.
In a letter written to Mr Bakhurst, the NUJ members urged him to contact the EBU and state that RTÉ does not support Israel's involvement in the song contest.
In a statement, Mr Green said: "No participating EBU member broadcaster, who have all been widely consulted, has 'publicly opposed' Israeli broadcaster Kan’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest - despite the claims in another letter from RTÉ journalists."
He said: "The broadcasters mentioned in the letter, RTVE in Spain and RTVSLO in Slovenia, requested a discussion and RÚV in Iceland has informed us of their foreign minister's comments on Kan’s participation."
Mr Green said the organisers of the song contest "understand the concerns and deeply held views around the current conflict in the Middle East.
"The EBU is not immune to global events, but, together, with our members, it is our role to ensure the contest remains, at its heart, a universal event that promotes connections, diversity and inclusion through music.
"We all aspire to keep the Eurovision Song Contest positive and inclusive and aspire to show the world as it could be, rather than how it necessarily is," he added.
Mr Green said the EBU is "an association of public service broadcasters, not governments, who are all eligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest every year if they meet the requisite requirements".
"It is not our role to make comparisons between conflicts," he added.
Mr Green said as part of its mission to secure a sustainable future for public service media, the EBU is "supporting our Israeli Member Kan against the threat from being privatised or shut down by the Israeli government.
"The EBU remains aligned with other international organisations that have similarly maintained their inclusive stance towards Israeli participants in major competitions at this time."
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Emma O Kelly, chair of the NUJ Dublin Broadcasting Branch, explained the NUJ’s reason for sending Mr Bakhurst the letter.
"We decided this because we feel there’s a time to act - and that time is now. We collectively believe that there's a moral obligation on RTÉ and on the EBU to act to suspend Israel. We don’t believe that the EBU needs a precedent, but if they want a precedent, they have it, and that precedent of course is Russia.
"In February of 2022, just days after Russia invaded Ukraine, the EBU acted immediately to suspend Russia from the Eurovision competition.
"We believe that was the right course of action then, but unfortunately, the actions of Israel over the past year-and-a-half in Gaza have put what Russia did in those first few days in Ukraine absolutely into the ha'penny place. We have 50,000 more killed, 17,000 children, tens of thousands more children maimed in Gaza - every child traumatised.
"We have a case for plausible genocide before the international courts. We have arrest warrants out for the Prime Minister of Israel, and we are saying to the EBU, when does it draw a line?
"If all of this isn’t enough, then what is?"
Israel is to be represented in the contest by Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.
