Palestine solidarity organisations have teamed up with an organisation representing people working in the arts and entertainment sector to launch the campaign “Malta: No Music for Genocide”, calling on the Maltese Government and Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) to withdraw Malta’s participation from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest. This call follows the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) decision to allow Israel to compete, despite its ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.
Cultural events are inherently political, as demonstrated when Russia was barred from participating in the Eurovision following its invasion of Ukraine. In contrast, during its ongoing genocide in Gaza, Israel allocated a record budget to its Eurovision participation, clearly instrumentalising the competition for political ends.
Over the past two years, the world has witnessed an extermination campaign in Gaza, with more than 70,000 Palestinians killed, including the deliberate targeting of children, journalists, and healthcare workers. Palestinians across Gaza and the occupied West Bank continue to face displacement, apartheid, and systematic violence by the Israeli army and settlers. Israel’s aggression also extends beyond Palestine, with ongoing attacks and illegal occupations in neighbouring Lebanon and Syria.
Allowing Israel to appear as a “normal” participant in a global cultural event erases these realities, perpetuating the deadly message that Israel can act with impunity.
Across Europe and beyond, artists, activists, and civil society organisations have mobilised to challenge Israel’s participation in the Eurovision. While presented as a celebration of unity and diversity, the Eurovision is in reality providing a platform for institutions to whitewash mass violence against civilians.
Malta has formally recognised the State of Palestine and claims a commitment to human rights and international law. These principles must now be reflected in concrete action.
We call on the Maltese Government and PBS to join Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, the Netherlands, and Iceland, and withdraw Malta’s participation from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest for as long as Israel is allowed to compete.
We also call on artists, creative professionals, cultural organisations, and civil society organisations to endorse the campaign by filling in the form on our website, www.maltanomusicforgenocide.org, or by sending an email to info@maltanomusicforgenocide.org.
Malta faces a clear choice: to participate in the normalisation of genocide, or to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people in their struggle for freedom, dignity, and self-determination.
The campaign “Malta: No Music for Genocide” will announce its first actions in the coming days.
Organisations:
Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA)
Moviment Graffitti
The Lebanese Advocates
Ġustizzja għall-Palestina
The Watermelon Warriors
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Il-kampanja – Malta: L-Ebda Mużika għall-Ġenoċidju – issejjaħ biex Malta tirtira mill-Eurovision 2026
Organizzazzjonijiet ta’ solidarjetà mal-Palestina ngħaqdu ma’ organizzazzjoni li tirrappreżenta nies li jaħdmu fis-settur tal-arti u d-divertiment biex iniedu l-kampanja “Malta: L-Ebda Mużika għall-Ġenoċidju”, li qed issejjaħ lill-Gvern Malti u lis-Servizzi ta’ Xandir Pubbliku (PBS) biex jirtiraw il-parteċipazzjoni ta’ Malta mill-Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Din is-sejħa ssegwi d-deċiżjoni tal-Unjoni tax-Xandara Ewropej (EBU) li ppermettiet lill-Iżrael jikkompeti, minkejja l-ġenoċidju kontinwu tiegħu kontra l-poplu Palestinjan.
L-avvenimenti kulturali huma politċi min-natura tagħhom stess, kif rajna meta r-Russja ġiet imblukkata milli tikkompeti fil-Eurovision wara l-invażjoni tagħha fl-Ukrajna. Għall-kuntrarju, matul il-ġenoċidju kontinwu tiegħu f’Gaża, l-Iżrael allokka baġit rekord għall-parteċipazzjoni fil-Eurovision, u b’hekk uża l-kompetizzjoni bħala strument politiku.
Matul is-sentejn li għaddew, id-dinja rat kampanja ta’ sterminju f’Gaża, b’aktar minn 70,000 Palestinjan maqtula, inkluż il-miri diretti fuq tfal, ġurnalisti, u ħaddiema tas-saħħa. Il-Palestinjani madwar Gaża u x-Xatt tal-Punent għadhom iħabbtu wiċċhom ma’ tkeċċija minn djarhom, apartheid, u vjolenza sistematika mill-armata u l-insedjamenti (settlers) Iżraeljani. L-aggressjoni tal-Iżrael testendi wkoll lil hinn mill-Palestina, b’attakki kontinwi u okkupazzjonijiet illegali fil-Libanu u fis-Sirja.
Li tippermetti lill-Iżrael jieħu sehem bħala parteċipant “normali” f’avveniment kulturali globali jaħbi dawn ir-realtajiet, u jkompli jwassal il-messaġġ li l-Iżrael jista’ jkompli jaġixxi mingħajr konsegwenzi.
Madwar l-Ewropa u lil hinn minnha, artisti, attivisti, u organizzazzjonijiet tas-soċjetà ċivili ngħaqdu biex jikkundannaw il-parteċipazzjoni tal-Iżrael fil-Eurovision. Filwaqt li jiġi ppreżentat bħala ċelebrazzjoni ta’ unità u diversiità, il-Eurovision fil-fatt qed jipprovdi pjattaforma biex istituzzjonijiet jaħbu l-vjolenza massiva tagħhom kontra massa ta’ nies ċivili.
Malta għarfet formalment l-Istat tal-Palestina u ttenni l-impenn tagħha lejn id-drittijiet tal-bniedem u l-liġi internazzjonali. Dawn il-prinċipji għandhom issa jissarfu f’azzjoni konkreta.
Nistiednu lill-Gvern Malti u lill-PBS biex jingħaqdu ma’ Spanja, l-Irlanda, is-Slovenia, l-Olanda, u l-Iżlanda, u jirtiraw il-parteċipazzjoni ta’ Malta mill-Eurovision Song Contest 2026 sakemm l-Iżrael ikollu permess li jikkompeti.
Nistiednu wkoll lill-artisti, professjonisti kreattivi, organizzazzjonijiet kulturali, u organizzazzjonijiet tas-soċjetà ċivili biex jappoġġjaw il-kampanja billi jimlew il-formola fuq is-sit tagħna, www.maltanomusicforgenocide.org, jew billi jibagħtu email fuq info@maltanomusicforgenocide.org.
Malta għandha għażla ċara: jew tipparteċipa fin-normalizzazzjoni tal-ġenoċidju, jew turi solidarjetà mal-poplu Palestinjan fil-ġlieda tiegħu għall-ħelsien, id-dinjità, u l-awtodeterminazzjoni.
Il-kampanja “Malta: L-Ebda Mużika għall-Ġenoċidju” se tħabbar l-ewwel azzjonijiet tagħha fil-ġranet li ġejjin.
L-organizzazzjonijiet
Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA)
Moviment Graffitti
The Lebanese Advocates
Ġustizzja għall-Palestina
The Watermelon Warriors
