Eurovision Chief Claims contest Remains Apolitical Amid Israel Debate
LONDON – BBC Director-General Tim Davie has asserted that Eurovision has “never been about politics,” as calls mount for Israel’s exclusion from the 2025 competition. The statement comes after Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun echoed earlier demands from spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for Israel’s removal from the contest.
spain recognized a Palestinian state in 2024, joining Norway and Ireland. Last week, Sánchez accused Israel of genocide and announced a series of measures, including an arms embargo.In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Sánchez’s governance of antisemitism and using “wild and hateful rhetoric.”
The debate unfolds against a backdrop of severe humanitarian concerns in Gaza.In August, the UN-backed IPC confirmed famine was occurring in parts of the territory, with Israel accused of causing it through restrictions on aid. Israel controls all border crossings into Gaza and, as the occupying power, bears responsibility for protecting civilian life under international law, including preventing starvation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly denied starvation is taking place in Gaza, attributing any hunger to aid agencies and Hamas. Israel consistently denies accusations of genocide,maintaining its actions are justified as self-defence following the hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7,2023,which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken.
Since then, at least 64,871 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) previously banned Russia from Eurovision in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine, stating its inclusion could bring the competition into disrepute. The EBU consulted widely with its membership before making the decision. Ukraine afterward won the contest.
Historically,Eurovision has seen artists utilize the platform for political expression. In 2023, Switzerland’s entry, “Watergun,” carried an anti-war message, while Iceland was fined €5,000 in 2019 for displaying a Palestinian flag. Ukraine won in 2016 with “1944,” a song addressing the 1944 ethnic cleansing of Crimean Tatars by Soviet forces.
