Eurovision: From Song Contest to Instrument of Israeli Propaganda

The winner of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest announced Thursday that they will return their trophy to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in protest of Israel’s participation amid the war in Gaza. In a video posted on Instagram, Swiss singer Nemo said he felt the trophy “no longer belongs on my shelf,” adding that Israel’s ongoing participation contradicts the competition’s values of inclusion and respect for all people.

Following 2024 winner Nemo, Ireland’s Charlie McGettigan, the winner of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, said he will return his trophy to protest Israel’s continued participation in the competition, joining Swiss singer Nemo in the symbolic gesture. In a video posted on social media, he said that “following on from 2024 winner Nemo doing the same yesterday, this is great solidarity with the Palestinian people.”

Moreover, several former Eurovision contestants have backed boycotts over Israel’s participation, such as Marco Mengoni, Salvador Sobral, and Bambie Thug, while seventeen performers in Portugal’s song selection contest have stated that they will refuse to perform at Eurovision if they win, citing Israel’s “acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.”

Earlier this month, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs Eurovision, approved Israel’s participation in next year’s contest in Austria, leading five countries to announce plans to boycott the 2026 contest after organizers declined to expel Israel: Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia, and Iceland.

“When entire countries withdraw, it should be clear that something is deeply wrong,” Nemo said before placing the trophy in a box they said would be sent to the Geneva headquarters of the European Broadcasting Union.

“This is not about individuals or artists. It’s about the fact that the contest was repeatedly used to soften the image of a state accused of severe wrongdoing, all while the EBU insists that this contest is non-political,” he added.

EBU Approves Israel’s Participation in Eurovision 2026

Following a meeting in Geneva, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) chose not to put Israel’s participation to a vote, stating instead that it had adopted new rules designed to limit governments and third parties from disproportionately influencing voting.

The EBU members “backed a set of targeted changes to the Eurovision Song Contest rules designed to reinforce trust, transparency, and the neutrality of the event,” a statement from the union said.

Immediately following the organizer’s announcement, broadcasters in the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia said they would pull out, meaning their countries’ singers would not take part in the contest, over Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

On the contrary, broadcasters in the U.K., France, Portugal, and Sweden expressed their support for the EBU’s decision. “We support the collective decision made by members of the EBU. This is about enforcing the rules of the EBU and being inclusive,” the BBC said in a statement.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said in a post on X on December 5, “I am delighted that Eurovision did not yield to the pressures, and that France helped prevent a boycott of Israel in this forum. I deeply regret that several European television channels made a different choice.”

While Germany’s Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer told Bild newspaper that he welcomed the decision, saying that “Israel belongs to the Eurovision Song Contest like Germany belongs to Europe,” adding that Germany would participate only if Israel was allowed.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he was “pleased” by the EBU’s decision and expressed gratitude to those who “stood up for Israel’s right to continue to contribute and compete at Eurovision,” while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he was “ashamed” of the countries choosing to boycott the contest.

Controversy Erupts Over Israel’s Inclusion in Eurovision

"Never in the history of the contest have we had such a vote, and such a split, between the member broadcasters of the European Broadcasting Union," said Ben Robertson, a Eurovision expert from the fan site ESC Insight, adding that the contest’s integrity has reached its lowest level.

While Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ said it felt, "Ireland's participation remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there, which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk,” Dutch radio and television broadcaster Avrotros said that “Avrotros concludes that participation under the current circumstances is incompatible with the public values that are essential to us.”

President of Slovenia’s public broadcaster RTV SLO, Natalija Gorščak, told CNN that the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is “not a real peace agreement because people are still dying.”

Meanwhile, the head of Spanish state broadcaster RTVE, Jose Pablo Lopez, said on X: "What happened in the EBU Assembly confirms that Eurovision is not a song contest but a festival dominated by geopolitical interests and fractured."

On Thursday, Lopez criticized Eurovision Song Contest Director Martin Green for issuing an open letter to fans that did not mention Gaza or Israel, despite what he called the “worst reputational crisis in the history of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).”
Green released the letter amid rising tensions surrounding the contest, as five national broadcasters pulled out in protest of Israel’s ongoing genocidal assault on Gaza.

“What about Israel’s rule violations over the past two years? Have they simply been swept under the rug?” Lopez asked, questioning whether the EBU applies its rules selectively “according to its geopolitical and economic alliances.” He also pointed out that on the very night the new rules were adopted, Israeli officials openly claimed to have politically influenced delegations to ensure the country’s continued participation in the contest. “What more are we going to see?” Lopez added.

Control Over a ‘Non-Political’ Eurovision Song Contest

The Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported on December 4 that the Israeli government had orchestrated a “months-long diplomatic campaign that unfolded largely behind the scenes” to prevent its exclusion from Eurovision. It added that executives at national broadcaster KAN, as well as government advisers and President Isaac Herzog, were involved in the efforts.

Israel has been accused of manipulating the public vote through state-backed interference. Last May, Eurovision’s fact-checking network confirmed that the Israeli Government Advertising Agency, which serves government offices, corporations, state-owned companies, and public enterprises, ran ads across Google platforms. It reportedly used Google tools to amplify these ads, encouraging votes for Israel up to 20 times.

In addition, Israel has frequently faced allegations of leveraging Eurovision to “pinkwash” its violent repression of Palestinians. One of the Eurovision Song Contest’s main sponsors is the Israeli company MoroccanOil. Despite its name, the products are made in Israel, not Morocco, and the company has faced widespread criticism for its ties to illegal settlements.

In 2018, just two days after its victory, Israeli forces killed 62 Palestinians protesting in Gaza, most with live ammunition, including six children, and injured hundreds.

Furthermore, the EBU has been accused of employing silencing techniques to prevent audience booing of Israel’s performers and chants of “Free Palestine” from being heard on broadcasts. An analysis reveals that the organization aims to suppress pro-Palestine sentiment and censor anti-Israel messages to ensure Israel’s continued participation despite increasing protests and boycotts over Israel’s involvement amid the Gaza war.

Criticism Mounts Over Double Standards Toward Israel

The Eurovision Song Contest, launched in 1956 to help unite postwar Europe, has long presented itself as ‘non-political,’ yet it has consistently faced criticism for its double standards on Israel.

In 2021, the EBU removed Belarus for broadcasting a pro-regime propaganda song and expelled Russia from participating in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine, claiming it would bring Eurovision “disrepute,” while Israel had been allowed to participate at the last two contests in Switzerland and Sweden amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

In the 2024 contest, Israel performed a song initially titled “October Rain,” referencing the Hamas attacks in 2023, while organizers criticized Palestinian-Swedish singer Eric Saade for wearing a Keffiyeh, stating that he had breached the contest’s “non-political nature.”

The U.N. special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has said that a “European boycott” of Eurovision signals a shift in public accountability. “Israel hasn’t been suspended from the UN, other int’l fora, UEFA, FIFA, FIBA, or cultural events. 
Genocide continues because it is normalised,” Albanese wrote on X.

“And then, just like that, accountability in the form of a European boycott begins. Eurovicious no more!” she added, linking to an analysis piece on Substack.

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