The final stages of the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest will take place from May 12 to 16 in Vienna, capital of Austria. While mobilizations to break with Israel are increasing, the question of cultural boycott is being raised on a large scale.
The refrain that art is not political is running out of steam. This is demonstrated by the numerous positions taken by artists since the start of the genocide in Gaza. No Music For Genocide published a column signed by 1,100 artists, including renowned personalities such as Paul Weller, Paloma Faith, Massive Attack, Kneecap, as well as musicians David Holmes, Brian Eno and Peter Gabriel.
Eurovision does not escape the double standard
In recent years, the singing competition has been systematically accompanied by mobilizations to denounce its participation in the propaganda of the Israeli colonial state.
Last year, when the competition took place in Malme, more than 20,000 people gathered. Candidates displaying solidarity with Palestine had been accused of anti-Semitism, and one of them had even been fired. While the Israeli candidate paraded with the Israeli flag on stage, we witnessed the banning of any sign referring to Palestine.
Eurovision has taken a position several times, excluding Belarus from the competition in 2021 and then Russia in 2022. But the organization has not excluded Israel despite the genocide in Gaza, the continued colonization and pogroms in the West Bank, as well as the ongoing destruction of South Lebanon.
Hard power / soft power
Israel is counting on Eurovision to counterbalance the images of the genocide, the flour massacre, tortured prisoners, but also international mobilizations demanding justice in Palestine and sanctions against Israel.
At the same time as it imposes an international order by force, with the help of armaments provided by its Western allies, Israel deploys a strategy of seduction by exploiting universities, culture, sport, tourism, as well as feminist and LGBTQIA+ struggles.
In December 2025, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar claimed that Israel was engaged in a
« world war to win hearts and minds and must spend accordingly… “, according to the Jerusalem Post. “We have made a major advance this year, but our country must invest much more (…) We should invest as much as in fighter planes, bombs and missile interceptors. »
It seems to have been heard since the propaganda budget, or hasbara, was quadrupled in 2026, again according to the Jerusalem Post.
Sanctions are coming, but not in France
While the competition will take place during the commemoration of the Nakba, many European initiatives oppose Israel’s impunity. Spain, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands and Slovenia have already announced their withdrawal from the competition, but France refuses to give in.
Broadcasters in Ireland, Spain and Slovenia won’t even broadcast the program and the director of public broadcaster Slovenian Television announced that she would replace Eurovision with “…Voices of Gaza ”, a program of Palestinian documentaries and films.
The winner of Eurovision 2024, Swiss singer Nemo, withdrew from the jury to protest against Israel’s participation.
Mobilizations are organized on site, in Vienna, but also in front of the broadcaster in Belgrade, in Serbia, as well as in Portugal. Eurovision counter-parties are being organized in France at the call of FRACBI, the coordination for the cultural, academic and sporting boycott of the State of Israel.
Palestinian NGOs worked with a Palestinian musician on a counter-song for Eurovision: Ahmed Abu Amsha’s drone song.
Eurovision : no participation, no broadcast, no promotion !
To participate in this wave of solidarity, it is high time to completely boycott Eurovision. Faced with the erasure of Palestine, we have a role to play. Broadcast the Palestinian title, organize counter-parties to highlight Palestine, its history and its culture.
Monira Moon
