Belgium: Eurovision 2025 Judge Participated in a Pro-Palestinian Campaign

Belgium: Eurovision 2025 Judge Participated in a Pro-Palestinian Campaign

by Tal Dahan Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Belgian organization Hart Voor Israël ("Heart for Israel") is demanding an investigation by the national broadcaster after its jury gave Israel zero points at Eurovision 2025, while the public awarded Israel the maximum points. The controversy over Belgium’s Eurovision scoring for Israel continues. While the public at home awarded Israel the maximum 12 points, the Belgian jury chose not to give Israel any points. It has now been revealed that one of the jury members, singer Noémie Wolfs, participated in a pro-Palestinian campaign. In response, the organization "Hart Voor Israël" is demanding an external investigation by the Belgian national broadcaster (VRT). (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Call for Investigation into Jury Composition On Wednesday, "Hart Voor Israël" issued a public call for VRT to launch an independent investigation into the jury’s composition and its conduct. At the center of the demand is Wolfs’ participation in an Oxfam campaign with the hashtag "#SpeakUpForPalestine", which, according to...
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KAN: ‘Any Allegation Against Israel Is Unfounded and Inconsistent With the Facts!’

KAN: ‘Any Allegation Against Israel Is Unfounded and Inconsistent With the Facts!’

by Avi Zaikaner Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Israeli broadcaster addresses accusations, stating: "The public has spoken—Israel rightfully placed second." This response follows European skepticism regarding the legitimacy of the public vote in Eurovision 2025, which awarded Israel second place overall.  In the days following the Eurovision final, numerous European countries have expressed doubts about the legitimacy of the public vote that awarded Israel first place in the televote and second place overall in the competition. National broadcasters from Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Finland, Iceland, and Slovenia have called on the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to investigate the public voting process that led to Israel’s victory in the televote. Finland’s representative argued that Israel’s vote mobilization was unfair. Meanwhile, the Austrian Eurovision winner, Croatia’s representative, and even Spain’s Prime Minister have called for Israel’s disqualification from the contest. The EBU has already clarified: “There is no evidence of any rule violation. An independent verification system checks both jury and public votes to ensure valid...
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American Famous Producer on Eurovision: “Being Number One By The Public is The Most Important Thing”

American Famous Producer on Eurovision: “Being Number One By The Public is The Most Important Thing”

by Tal Dahan Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Scooter Braun, the producer behind some of the world’s biggest artists, defends Yuval Raphael and Israel’s second-place finish at Eurovision 2025, emphasizing the significance of the public vote. The controversy surrounding the Eurovision 2025 Grand Final and Israel’s second-place finish continues to make headlines. While countries such as Spain and Belgium question the results, and representatives claim that Israel "engineered votes," one highly successful producer is unafraid to voice his support for Israel. Scooter Braun, the producer behind the careers of Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Kanye West, and others, has spoken out against critics of Yuval Raphael and explained why she received such overwhelming support from the public vote. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});   "The public spoke, and you should’ve listened to them." Braun declared in a video posted on social media. "There are people having an issue with this young woman, Yuval, taking second place at Eurovision.. She was number one in the public vote...
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Eurovision Controversy: Finland and Iceland Also Question Voting in Eurovision 2025

Eurovision Controversy: Finland and Iceland Also Question Voting in Eurovision 2025

by Aviad Berger Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Israel at Eurovision 2025: Finland and Iceland express doubts about the public vote, where Israel won with a big majority Following criticism from the national broadcasters of Spain and Belgium, Finland and Iceland have now joined the list of countries calling for a renewed examination of the Eurovision voting system. This marks another development in the growing wave of criticism following the results of Eurovision 2025, with countries taking a critical stance toward Israel questioning the transparency and reliability of the current voting process. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Finland Seeks Change—But Proceeds with Caution The chief entertainment producer of the Finnish national broadcaster Yle, Juha Lahti, confirmed that Finland will raise the issue of voting with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). According to him, this has been a subject of ongoing discussion in Finland. Lahti clarified: “We will ask the EBU to consider whether it is time to update the rules, or at least to examine if...
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The Netherlands Joins Call for Discussion on Israel’s Participation in Eurovision

The Netherlands Joins Call for Discussion on Israel’s Participation in Eurovision

by Aviad Berger Comment Closed
  (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Ongoing debate: The Netherlands has joined calls for a discussion on Israel’s participation in Eurovision. Will this move prompt an official response from the European Broadcasting Union? The controversy surrounding Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2025 continues, with the Netherlands now joining the list of countries calling for a thorough and meaningful discussion on the issue. The Dutch national broadcasters, AVROTROS and NPO, released a joint statement requesting that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) hold an organized and official dialogue regarding the role and nature of Eurovision, given the growing political influences on the contest. In their joint statement, the broadcasters wrote: “AVROTROS and NPO attach great importance to the apolitical and unifying value of the Eurovision Song Contest. However, we observe that the event is increasingly affected by social and geopolitical pressures. Israel’s participation raises the question—to what extent does Eurovision still function as a cultural, unifying, and apolitical event? We wish to raise this question, together with...
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Belgian Broadcasters Seek Greater Transparency from EBU Regarding Eurovision Voting

Belgian Broadcasters Seek Greater Transparency from EBU Regarding Eurovision Voting

by Aviad Berger Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Eurovision 2025: Belgium’s major national broadcasters and the ruling party are calling for increased transparency from the European Broadcasting Union, raising questions about the voting process and participation in the contest. For the first time since the media storm erupted in Belgium over the public vote at Eurovision 2025, the French-speaking national broadcaster RTBF has broken its silence—publicly supporting the Flemish broadcaster VRT’s demand for full transparency from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). In measured yet unequivocal language, the broadcaster clarified: “In light of ongoing discussions regarding the voting system, RTBF supports the need to ensure the highest levels of transparency.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Alternating Responsibility: The Link Between VRT and RTBF Unlike most European countries, Belgium is divided between two public national broadcasters by language region: VRT is responsible for the Flemish (Dutch-speaking) region, while RTBF covers the French-speaking area. Responsibility for Belgium’s participation in Eurovision alternates between them—one year under VRT, the...
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Marko Bošnjak Attacks: “Israel Must Be Banned from Eurovision—Period”

Marko Bošnjak Attacks: “Israel Must Be Banned from Eurovision—Period”

by Aviad Berger Comment Closed
  (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Croatia at Eurovision 2025: A true "Poison Cake"—after his embarrassing elimination, Croatia’s representative lashes out at Israel, Ukraine, and reveals what he really thinks about Eurovision. Marko Bošnjak, who was chosen to represent Croatia at Eurovision 2025 with the song "Poison Cake", appears unwilling to accept his failure to qualify for the final. Just days after the contest’s conclusion—having finished only 12th out of 15 in the first semi-final with 28 points—the singer posted a lengthy and emotional Instagram story, venting his frustration, expressing controversial opinions, and directly attacking Israel’s participation in the contest. The video was released days after Eurovision ended, at a time when participants are no longer bound by the code of conduct they signed at the beginning of the process. Bošnjak used this opportunity to publish particularly harsh stories, voicing strong political views, dismissing the spirit of the competition, and employing especially blunt language. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "I Have Only Love for Ukraine, But...
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Eurovision Director Responds to Criticism in Spain: “Our System Is the Most Advanced in the World”

Eurovision Director Responds to Criticism in Spain: “Our System Is the Most Advanced in the World”

by Aviad Berger Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Following the Spanish national broadcaster’s inquiry about voting for Israel, the Eurovision director delivers a clear response defending the integrity of the voting process without leaving room for interpretation Just days after the conclusion of the Eurovision 2025 grand final in Basel, where Israel’s representative Yuval Raphael secured second place and first in the public vote, a controversy arose in Spain regarding the local voting results. The Spanish national broadcaster RTVE approached the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) demanding transparency on how the Spanish public vote was allocated, as Spain awarded Israel the full 12 points for the second consecutive year—a result that sparked public and political criticism. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); EBU’s Response to Spain’s Allegations Following the official inquiry from the Spanish national broadcaster, Martin Green, Eurovision’s executive supervisor, responded directly. In statements given to the news agency EFE and shared with the press, he rejected insinuations of manipulation or problems with the voting system and...
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Drama in Spain: Call for Investigation Following Massive Support for Yuval Raphael!

Drama in Spain: Call for Investigation Following Massive Support for Yuval Raphael!

by Aviad Berger Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Israel at Eurovision 2025: The public has spoken, but Spain demands an investigation. Why is the Spanish national broadcaster seeking to review the Spanish audience’s vote in Eurovision 2025? A storm is brewing in Spain following the overwhelming support received by Yuval Raphael, Israel’s representative at Eurovision 2025, from Spanish viewers. Despite the Spanish jury awarding Israel zero points, the Spanish public voted differently: 12 points-the maximum score-were given to Israel via the public vote. Now, the Spanish national broadcaster, RTVE, is demanding a comprehensive review of the voting process, effectively challenging its validity. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 142,000 Voters-But RTVE Rejects the Result The Spanish national broadcaster received only preliminary data from the European Broadcasting Union regarding the Spanish vote, indicating that 142,688 public votes were cast in the grand final. According to the report, votes were submitted via 7,283 phone calls, 23,840 SMS messages, and 111,565 online votes through the official app....
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After Securing Second Place – Suspension on Social Media: What’s Behind the Blocking of Yuval Raphael’s Twitter Account?

After Securing Second Place – Suspension on Social Media: What’s Behind the Blocking of Yuval Raphael’s Twitter Account?

by Aviad Berger Comment Closed
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Israel at Eurovision 2025: Just after the success at Eurovision, why was Yuval Raphael’s Twitter account suspended-and why now, right after the grand final? Last night, Israel achieved a particularly impressive result at Eurovision 2025, as the country’s representative, Yuval Raphael, finished in second place at the grand final held in Basel, Switzerland. This marks Israel’s best result since Netta Barzilai’s victory in 2018, and the third time in history that Israel has ended as Eurovision’s runner-up. Today, a new controversy surrounds Yuval Raphael, Israel’s representative at Eurovision 2025, as her official account was temporarily suspended by the "X" platform (formerly Twitter). The screen displayed when accessing the "@YuvalRaphael_IL" profile delivered a clear message: “Account suspended. X suspends accounts that violate the rules”-without providing any further information. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Suspension at a Particularly Sensitive Time – Following the Grand Final Results The timing of this event-just days after the Eurovision final in Basel-is what draws the most...
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