Thousands of protesters marched through the Austrian capital Vienna on Saturday night as the Eurovision Song Contest final took place, demonstrating against Israel's inclusion amid the ongoing war in Gaza. Five countries boycotted the event, marking the largest boycott in the contest's 70-year history.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) organizers refused to exclude Israel, despite having banned Russia four years ago following its invasion of Ukraine. Critics labeled this a double standard, accusing the EBU of hypocrisy.

Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia withdrew from the competition due to Israel's participation, with some national broadcasters refusing to air the show. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, a vocal critic of Israel, stated that the decision puts Spain "on the right side of history."

Last month, over 1,000 artists, including Macklemore and Paloma Faith, signed an open letter calling for a boycott of Eurovision over Israel's involvement. Macklemore has released songs protesting Israel's war in Gaza.

Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnes Callamard condemned the EBU on Monday, calling its failure to suspend Israel "an act of cowardice and an illustration of blatant double standards."

Al Jazeera's Charlie Angela reported that 2,000 demonstrators gathered in Vienna earlier on Saturday, accusing the competition of normalizing Israel's actions in Gaza. Angela noted that Eurovision was "bending over backwards" to justify Israel's inclusion while excluding Russia.

Russia has faced a widespread cultural boycott since its invasion of Ukraine, including bans from international football tournaments and exclusion of Russian clubs from UEFA competitions.

The Eurovision winner is determined by a professional jury and viewer votes. Last year, Austria won, with Israel placing second. The Israeli government was later accused of unfairly influencing voting, leading to new rules.

Source: www.aljazeera.com