The European Broadcasting Union released an official statement after today’s discussion on Israel’s Eurovision participation, expressing support for KAN and criticism toward the Israeli government.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel has concluded, but the political controversies surrounding it are far from over. In a rare statement published today, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) directly addressed the geopolitical challenges facing the contest in recent years, admitting that “Questions around participation have become increasingly sensitive and multifaceted.”
Eurovision 2025 Ends, but the Debates Continue
Representatives from EBU member countries convened in London today to discuss Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest and its membership in the union. The meeting ended without a decision. “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.
Official EBU Statement Following the Discussions
“At today’s EBU General Assembly, Members held an open and constructive discussion on the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) and the increasingly complex global context in which it takes place.The Assembly was a chance to celebrate the success of ESC 2025 – not just in terms of its record-breaking reach and engagement but in terms of its cultural resonance and ability to foster inclusivity, creativity, and a sense of belonging on a world stage.But of course, despite its extraordinary success, the Eurovision Song Contest, like many other events, is not immune to the pressures of global politics. Questions around participation have become increasingly sensitive and multifaceted, and our Members hold a wide range of perspectives on these issues which they were able to express in detail today.Members had a constructive exchange of views. There was a shared understanding that this is an unprecedentedly complex situation and there is a wide diversity of opinions.Members also expressed their support for the work of the Israeli public broadcaster Kan and its independence, noting the pressure it is repeatedly experiencing from the Israeli government.To help us navigate the current landscape, a former senior TV executive has now been invited to lead a structured and in-depth dialogue with our Member broadcasters in the coming weeks.They will engage with Directors General and other stakeholders to gather insights on how we manage participation, geopolitical tensions, and how other organizations have approached similar challenges. They will report back with recommendations this autumn.The EBU remains committed to transparency and will continue to keep Members informed of developments in the months ahead.”
“Political Pressures on Israel’s National Broadcaster”
The EBU has repeatedly emphasized that the contest is between national broadcasters, not between countries. Broadcasters must comply with all contest rules and maintain independence from government influence. The Israeli national broadcaster, KAN, stresses its full compliance with contest regulations and complete operational independence from the government. Many of the major investigative reports that led to legal proceedings against Prime Minister Netanyahu were published following journalistic investigations by KAN. The Prime Minister has not appeared on the national broadcaster in the past two years—a unique situation globally. The EBU’s statement likely referred to government attempts to privatize the broadcaster’s news and current affairs broadcasts in Hebrew, turning one of its radio stations, Reshet Bet, into a commercial radio station.
Calls to Expel Israel – Following a Public Vote Win?
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.
As someone who has covered and experienced the contest up close for several years, comparing Israel to Russia and Belarus—both in terms of war and government control over national broadcasters—is simply unfounded. There is no justification to expel Israel and the KAN broadcaster from the contest, as it is independent and complies with EBU rules. If Israel is removed from the contest, it will be due to political factors, not any legitimate grounds for expulsion. Statements like “If the war continues into the winter for further discussions, Israel will struggle to remain in Eurovision. Many countries are against it” only highlight that any potential removal of Israel is linked to war and political reasons—directly contradicting the EBU’s claims that the contest is “between broadcasters, not 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.
Source: Eurovision.tv.
