Eleven groups in Cyprus urge CyBC to exclude Israel from Eurovision 2027, echoing recent withdrawals over Israeli participation.
Just days after announcing George Perris as its representative for Eurovision 2027, and even opening the song submission window, Cyprus is facing calls to withdraw from the contest. Eleven left-wing and pro-Palestinian organizations in the country have addressed an open letter to the Cypriot national broadcaster, CyBC, demanding that it act against Israel’s participation in Eurovision and even refrain from participating in the contest as long as the Israeli national broadcaster, Kan, remains a member.
The letter, published on November 7th, was sent to the management of the Cypriot national broadcaster, with signatory organizations including BDS Cyprus. The groups argue that three questions they submitted to the broadcaster back on September 28th regarding Israel’s participation have remained unanswered. Among other things, they are asking what Cyprus’s position was at the European Broadcasting Union General Assembly in December 2025, and whether the broadcaster’s new directorate is reviewing the issue anew.
Pressure Mounts Ahead of the EBU General Assembly
The letter also references the decision of the European Broadcasting Union to exclude Russia from the contest in 2022, arguing that Israel’s participation should be examined under the exact same criteria. In addition, they raise allegations against Kan regarding the coverage of the war in Gaza, claiming that Israel’s participation in Eurovision is used to promote political messages.
The calls in Cyprus join a wave of withdrawals from Eurovision following Israel’s participation in the contest. In 2026, five countries withdrew from Eurovision in protest against Israel’s participation. Despite this, ahead of Eurovision 2027, only Ireland and the Netherlands have announced they will boycott it for the same reason.
On December 3rd and 4th, the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union will take place, and ahead of it, the organizations are demanding that Cyprus submit a formal request for a re-examination of the Israeli national broadcaster’s eligibility to participate in the contest. They are also asking to receive clarification from the organization regarding the principle of the non-political nature of Eurovision.
At the conclusion of the letter, the organizations clarify that from their perspective, Cyprus should withdraw from Eurovision 2027 as long as Israel is not barred from it.
George Perris – Who Are You?
George Perris is a prominent international singer, creator, and performer of Greek-French origin. Perris was born in Athens in 1983 to a Greek father and a French mother, and grew up embracing both cultures – an element that is clearly noticeable in his multilingual repertoire, which includes singing in Greek, French, English, and Spanish.
His musical style is characterized by a blend of classic-pop with dramatic and emotional elements alongside an impressive vocal range. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with international music giants such as Lara Fabian, Mario Frangoulis, and Michel Legrand, and has performed on respected stages around the world (including Lincoln Center in New York and the Zenith Hall in Paris). His Mediterranean roots combined with an elegant European character in his work make him one of the unique and prominent voices in the local music scene in recent years.
The singer was selected via an internal selection by the local national broadcaster, and he is the first singer to secure his participation in Eurovision 2027!
JALLA
CyprusAntigoni represented Cyprus at Eurovision 2026 with “JALLA”. The entry finished 19th in the grand final with 75 points.
Cyprus competed at Eurovision 42 times between 1981 and 2026. Its best grand-final result was 2nd place in 2018, when Eleni Foureira performed “Fuego”. In 2026, Antigoni represented Cyprus with “JALLA”, finishing 19th in the grand final with 75 points.
