Eurovision’s winner wants Israel out of this year’s contest amid raging genocide in Gaza
Austrian singer JJ, who won the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, has called for the Israeli regime to be excluded from the 2026 edition of the competition, citing Tel Aviv’s ongoing war of genocide on the Gaza Strip.
In an interview with El País, which the Spanish newspaper published on Thursday, the singer, whose real name is Johannes Pietsch, voiced discontent about Israeli contestants’ continued participation.
“It is very disappointing to see Israel still participating in the contest. I would like next year’s Eurovision to take place in Vienna without Israel,” he said.
He, however, noted that the ultimate decision concerning letting the regime to continue contesting the event lied with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
“The ball is in the court of the organizer, the EBU,” he said, adding, “We, the artists, can only express our views on the subject.”
The regime’s participation in the 2025 contest has been a subject of controversy due to the October 2023-present genocide that has claimed the lives of more than 61,700 people, mostly women and children, throughout Gaza.
Pro-Palestinian activists have criticized the EBU for allowing the regime to compete.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez echoed these concerns earlier, stating that “what we cannot allow is double standards in culture.”
JJ, himself, has voiced surprise over the organizer’s allowing Israeli competitors into the 2025 contest.
“This year, everything happened in a very strange way,” he has said.
The Austrian public broadcaster ORF has distanced itself from his remarks, labeling them as his personal opinion.
JJ also criticized the Eurovision voting system, calling for greater transparency. His Israeli counterpart, Yuval Raphael, won the public televote, but finished second overall after JJ secured the jury vote.
The disparity between the jury and public votes has raised questions about the fairness of the voting process.
The 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, held in Malmö, Sweden, had also been marked by significant controversy due to the regime’s participation.
One of the most notable demonstrations occurred on May 9, 2024, when approximately 5,000 pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Malmö Arena.
The protests escalated into clashes with Swedish police, resulting in the use of pepper spray and the arrest of several demonstrators. Among those detained was climate activist Greta Thunberg, who had joined the protest in solidarity with Palestinians.
Inside the arena, Israeli contestant Eden Golan faced a mixed reception. During rehearsals, she was met with boos from the audience, and her performance was overshadowed by chants of “Free Palestine.” Despite these challenges, Golan qualified for the final, where she ultimately finished second in the televote and fifth overall.
