The Eurovision Song Contest, one of the most followed cultural events on the continent, is being dragged into politics. More than fifty MEPs from the leftist bloc of the European Parliament have demanded that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) exclude Israel from the next edition, scheduled for May 2026 in Switzerland, citing its military offensive in Gaza.
The appeal, coordinated by three far-left Spanish MEPs, has gained the support of 55 parliamentarians from 15 different countries, mostly social democrats, liberals, greens, and the radical left. In the letter sent to the EBU, they accuse Israel of using a cultural event with “global visibility” to “whitewash and normalize” its international image while the UN investigates it for supposed “genocide.”
The MEPs point to Russia’s ban from the 2022 contest after its invasion of Ukraine, claiming the situation with Israel is “analogous.” They do not mention that, unlike Russia, Israel faces an ongoing fight for survival sparked by Hamas’s October 2023 terror attacks. “We urge the EBU to suspend Israel’s participation until full respect for international humanitarian law is guaranteed,” the letter says.
The letter also demands that the EBU introduce “human rights” criteria for participation—a move opponents warn could turn a music competition into a political tribunal.
Pressure is mounting on the EBU from public broadcasters. So far, five European countries have announced that they will not compete in Eurovision if Israel participates: Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland.
What was once a musical celebration risks becoming a political football, as anti-Israel activists seek to weaponize Eurovision.
