Brussels, May 16, 2024 – A chorus of dissent is rising against the planned inclusion of Israel in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, with 170 Belgian artists and cultural figures publicly condemning their national broadcaster’s decision to participate amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The move has sparked concerns that the beloved music competition could inadvertently legitimize perceived violations of international law.
A Petition for moral Obligation
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The petition, signed by a diverse group of Belgian creatives, warns that continuing to participate while Israel competes risks undermining the public broadcaster RTBF’s moral obligations. Unlike broadcasters in Spain, ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia, who have opted out of the 2026 contest, RTBF has chosen to remain involved. “In our opinion, this is a serious violation of the ethics and moral obligations of public broadcasters,” the petition states, as reported by the French-language edition of The Free.
Critics are notably incensed by what they see as a glaring inconsistency in the EBU’s actions. In 2022, Israel was swiftly excluded from the competition following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This perceived double standard fuels accusations of hypocrisy.
“Art-Washing” and Political Propaganda
The signatories further accuse the Israeli government of leveraging art and cultural events as a form of political propaganda, a practice they term “art-washing.” The petition asserts that “For years, the Israeli government has been using major art and cultural events as propaganda to divert attention from its occupation, colonization and apartheid regime against the palestinian people.”
Participation in Eurovision, they argue, allows Israel to project “the illusion of a modern and exemplary Western democracy, thus more easily concealing its criminal activities.” The letter implores RTBF to “fulfill its public service mission” and withdraw its request for the 2026 contest.
EBU Response and Calls for boycott
Martin Green, head of Eurovision, responded to the criticism by stating that, “in a chaotic world, we can really be United thru music.” Though, this sentiment has done little to quell the outrage directed at the EBU, which prides itself on political neutrality but swiftly banned Russia in 2022.
The controversy has resonated with past Eurovision winners. Nemo, who won the contest last year, has announced plans to return their winner’s trophy, a gesture echoed by Charlie mcgettigan, the 1994 champion.
Flags and Protests at the Next Contest
Last week, the Austrian public broadcaster ORF, which will host the next Eurovision contest, confirmed it would not prohibit the Palestinian flag from the audience or restrict chants directed at Israel’s performance. Competition Executive Director michael Kroen explained: “We will allow all official flags that exist in the world as long as they comply with the law and certain parameters – size, safety risks, etc. we will not embellish anything or avoid showing how things are, as our job is to show things as they are.”
