The undersigned NGOs have written a pushback letter to the Minister of Culture Owen Bonnici following his statement insisting that Malta remain a participant in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest even in the case that Israel still is allowed to compete.
Our demands are clear and simple. We want Malta to join the growing list of countries – those being Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia – putting pressure on the European Broadcasting Union to exclude Israel from the upcoming edition of the Eurovision Song Contest on the basis of its war crimes against the Palestinian people and the genocide it is currently committing. If the Eurovision Broadcasting Union refuses to comply, Malta must refuse to participate in a contest that so easily sweeps war crimes to the side for the sake of entertainment.
Whilst we commend the Maltese Government’s recent decision to formally recognise the State of Palestine, this recognition would remain merely symbolic and unsubstantiated if Malta does not take concrete action against the total annihilation of Palestine and the Palestinian people by Israel.
The time for dialogue with a rogue state such as Israel is over. How much longer must the Palestinian people die and suffer in the name of ‘encouraging dialogue’ with an entity that clearly does not care for it? Let Malta be one of the nations that shows Israel and the rest of the international community that we will not tolerate the whitewashing of crimes against humanity.
Organisations
Moviment Graffitti
Inizjamed
Solidarjetà
Lebanese Advocates
Watermelon Warriors
Ġustizzja għall-Palestina
General Workers Union
Għaqda għall-Ġustizzja, Ugwaljanza u Paċi
Embassy of Palestine
Skop
Kopin
Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA)
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Għaqdiet jikbtu lill-Ministru Owen Bonnici: Le għall-kriminali tal-gwerra fil-Eurovision
Grupp ta’ firmatarji minn NGOs Maltin bagħtu ittra lil Ministru tal-Kultura, Owen Bonnici, wara li fil-kliem tiegħu qal li Malta għandha tieħu sehem fil-Eurovision Song Contest li jmiss, anke jekk l-Iżrael jitħalla jerġa’ jipparteċipa.
It-talbiet tagħna huma ċari u sempliċi. Irridu li Malta tingħaqad mal-lista dejjem tikber ta’ pajjiżi, fosthom Spanja, l-Olanda, l-Irlanda, l-Iżlanda, u s-Slovenja, li qed jixħtu pressjoni fuq l-Unjoni Ewropea tax-Xandir (EBU) biex teskludi lill-Iżrael mill-edizzjoni li jmiss tal-Eurovision Song Contest abbażi tad-delitti tal-gwerra u l-ġenoċidju li qed iwettaq kontra l-poplu Palestinjan. Jekk l-EBU tirrifjuta li tagħmel dan, Malta għandha tirrifjuta li tipparteċipa f’festival li jagħżel li jinjora d-delitti tal-gwerra daqshekk faċilment f’ġieħ id-divertiment.
Filwaqt li nifirħu lill-Gvern Malti għad-deċiżjoni riċenti tiegħu li jirrikonoxxi formalment lill-Istat tal-Palestina, dan ir-rikonoxximent se jibqa’ biss wieħed simboliku u bla sustanza jekk Malta ma tiħux azzjoni konkreta kontra l-qerda tal-Palestina u tal-poplu Palestinjan mill-Iżrael.
Iż-żmien għal djalogu mal-istat tal-Iżrael ilu li għadda. Kemm se ndumu naraw Palestinjani jmutu u jbatu f’isem id-“djalogu” ma’ entità li ċarament ma jimpurtaha xejn minnu? Malta għandha tkun wieħed min-nazzjonijiet li juru lill-Iżrael u lill-bqija tal-komunità internazzjonali li aħna mhux se nippermettu reati kriminali kontra l-umanità.
Għaqdiet
Moviment Graffitti
Inizjamed
Solidarjetà
Lebanese Advocates
Watermelon Warriors
Ġustizzja għall-Palestina
General Workers Union
Għaqda għall-Ġustizzja, Ugwaljanza u Paċi
Embassy of Palestine
Skop
Kopin
Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA)
