Israel's place in Eurovision contest questioned by three national broadcasters
Three national broadcasters have questioned the presence of Israel in the 2025 Eurovision song contest.
Slovenia, Spain and Iceland have all communicated concerns to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) over the inclusion of Israel and its affiliates while it continues to attack and blockade the Gaza Strip.
Earlier this month, Spain’s broadcaster RTVE contacted the EBU calling for a discussion among participating countries over Israeli broadcaster Kan being part of the event.
Iceland's delegation to Eurovision also said they had informed their colleagues at the EBU of sentiments expressed by the foreign minister that it was “strange and actually unnatural" to be allowing Israel to participate.
They join a decision by Slovenian national broadcaster RTV SLO last year that its board of directors would call on the EBU to no longer include Israel in the contest.
The controversy over Israeli involvement in Eurovision, set to take place in two weeks in Switzerland, echoes a similar outcry from 2024.
The contest drew large crowds of protesters in the Swedish host city Malmo and calls for the country's exclusion.
Many pointed out that Russia had been excluded over the war in Ukraine but that Israel had faced no similar penalty, a situation that continues in 2025.
The EBU has repeatedly stressed that Eurovision should be a non-political event and has pushed back at requests to exclude Israel.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
