The EBU General Assembly discussed Israel’s possible exclusion from Eurovision. What were the main points, and could Israel find itself out of the contest in the future?
Representatives from the member states of the European Broadcasting Union gathered today in London to discuss various matters, including Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest and its ongoing membership in the union. The meeting took place amid calls from several countries – Spain, Belgium, Slovenia, and Iceland – for Israel to be excluded from the competition. In May, Ireland also hinted that the EBU had promised to review Israel’s status after the most recent contest. The meeting concluded without a definitive decision.
Could Israel Be Excluded from Eurovision in the Future?
“If the war continues into the winter and further discussions are held, Israel will struggle to remain in Eurovision. Many countries are against it,” EBU sources told Ran Boker, a Ynet correspondent. While Israel has avoided exclusion for now, further discussions are scheduled for the winter. Three countries – Austria, Germany, and Switzerland – publicly supported Israel during the debate. Austria, which will host Eurovision 2026, stated that the Austrian public remembers what was done to the Jewish people, especially as next year marks 80 years since World War II. The Israeli national broadcaster was represented by attorney Ayala Mizrachi, who spoke about the broadcaster’s cooperation with the EBU, Israel’s history in the contest, and more.
The Israeli National Broadcaster: Adhering to All Competition Rules
The Greek Eurovision website, Eurovisionfun, reported earlier today that no official vote on the matter was expected during the current assembly. The EBU has repeatedly emphasized that the contest is between national broadcasters and not between countries. Broadcasters are required to comply fully with the competition’s rules and maintain independence from their respective governments. The Israeli national broadcaster, KAN, stresses its strict adherence to all contest regulations and its complete editorial independence. Many of the revelations that led to legal proceedings against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were published following KAN’s own journalistic investigations. In fact, the Prime Minister has not appeared on the broadcaster in the past two years.
Public Vote Victory: Grounds for Disqualification?
Following Israel’s impressive win in the public vote at the most recent Eurovision, open disappointment was expressed in several European countries, particularly those already advocating for Israel’s exclusion. Slovenia, for example, officially petitioned the EBU to disqualify Israel from Eurovision 2025, citing moral grounds given the current political climate. Similar sentiments were echoed in Iceland and Ireland, and Israel’s broad public support only intensified pressure on national broadcasters across Europe. On social media, fans from these countries did not hide their frustration over Israel’s popularity, emphasizing that, in their view, Eurovision cannot remain indifferent to political issues – even if the public votes otherwise.
Spain and Belgium also stood out among the nations calling for Israel’s removal, having voiced strong criticism during the contest’s broadcasts. In Spain, the national broadcaster aired clear pro-Palestinian messages and even called for “peace and justice for Palestine” during the live show, while in Belgium, a broadcast slide read: “We condemn the human rights violations by the State of Israel”, with further accusations that Israel was undermining press freedom. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez explicitly called for a boycott of Israel at Eurovision, arguing, “There is no room for double standards in culture”, and noting that if Russia was banned, so too should Israel be excluded.
The strong stance from Spain and Belgium peaked after Israel’s public vote victory, causing visible disappointment in both countries. Spain formally requested that the EBU reconsider the voting system, arguing that the public vote is influenced by political and security events – especially following the phenomenal success of Israel’s representative, Yuval Raphael, who received 297 points from the audience.
Iceland Pushes for Israel’s Removal
A heated meeting of the Icelandic national broadcaster’s board at the end of April, marked by sharp disagreements over Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2025, led to the broadcaster’s support for Israel’s disqualification. Board chairman Stefán Jón Hafstein publicly called to back Israel’s removal should such a proposal arise at the EBU.
“There is precedent – Russia and Belarus have already been disqualified for unacceptable conduct. Why should Israel be treated differently?”
Hafstein stated in a closed forum, though his remarks quickly leaked online.
Politics, Music, and the Battle for National Identity
There is no doubt that politics is once again taking over Europe’s most colorful stage. Excluding Israel from Eurovision would spark not only a musical storm but also a profound question about the boundaries of the contest – is it purely a cultural arena, or a political battleground disguised as music? In the past two years, as someone closely following the contest, I have seen how deeply political tensions affect every decision. The exclusion of Russia and Belarus is fundamentally different from the debate over Israel’s participation, and there is no valid reason to exclude Israel or the national broadcaster from the contest – since it is independent and complies with EBU rules. If Israel is indeed excluded, it will be the result of political factors and the EBU’s political stance, not a justified reason for exclusion. Statements such as, “If the war continues into the winter and further discussions are held, Israel will struggle to remain in Eurovision. Many countries are against it,” only underscore that any potential exclusion of Israel is tied to the war and political reasons – contrary to the EBU’s statements that the contest is “between broadcasters, not between countries.”
Israel at Eurovision 2025
“New Day Will Rise” is the song performed by Yuval Raphael, who was chosen to represent Israel after winning the 11th season of “The Next Star.” Israel advanced to the final after winning the second semi-final with 203 points and finished second overall with 436 points in the grand final. Israel ranked first in the public vote but only 14th with the jury. This marks the third consecutive year that Israel has reached the top five – an unprecedented achievement.
Eurovision 2025: This was Israel’s 47th participation in Eurovision. Israel joined the contest in 1973 and has won four times. Its most recent victory was at Eurovision 2018 with the song “Toy,” performed by singer Netta Barzilai.
