Dutch city: Madonna can sing at Eurovision 2020, despite Palestinian flag stunt
Rotterdam council shoots down motion seeking to ban the pop icon for displaying a ‘symbol for the rejection of Israel’; unclear where singing contest will be held
Cnaan Liphshiz was a Jewish World reporter at The Times of Israel
Madonna on stage at the Eurovision Song Contest at Tel Aviv Fairgrounds, May 17, 2019. At bottom left is a dancer bearing the Palestinian flag on his shirt. (Michael Campanella/ Getty Images/via JTA)
AMSTERDAM (JTA) — If Rotterdam ends up hosting the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest, Madonna can perform there.
The Dutch city’s council voted down a motion to ban the pop star from the contest over her use of a Palestinian flag on stage in Israel, at the competition in May. The motion was proposed by a member of the staunchly pro-Israel and anti-Muslim Party for Freedom.
Last week’s draft motion described the Palestinian flag as “a symbol for the rejection of Israel” and cited growing anti-Semitism in Rotterdam.
It did not mention the fact that the singer’s performance in Tel Aviv also featured an Israeli flag.
Madonna and Quavo sing ‘Future’ at the Eurovision Song Contest, as two dancers walk arm-in-arm with Israeli and Palestinian flags on their backs, May 18, 2019. (YouTube screenshot)
Hidde van Koningsveld, the head of the pro-Israel CiJo group, noted the omission on Twitter and called the draft motion “nonsensical.”
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Duncan Laurence of the Netherlands, center, celebrates after winning the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest grand finale with the song ‘Arcade’ in Tel Aviv, May 18, 2019. He is flanked (from left) by the four Israeli hosts: Assi Azar, Lucy Ayoub, Bar Refaeli and Erez Tal. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
Of the City Council’s 45 members, 37 voted against the proposal by Maurice Meeuwissen, chairman of the Party for Freedom.
During Madonna’s performance in Tel Aviv, despite Eurovision’s policy banning political statements, dancers at one point wore Israeli and Palestinian flags. It was construed by many as a plea for peace.
The Netherlands won the 2019 contest and therefore will host the 2020 edition, though organizers have not yet determined in which municipality.
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