ESC winner JJ demands: Competition 2026 without Israel in Vienna!

ESC winner JJ demands: Competition 2026 without Israel in Vienna!

Basel, Schweiz - Johannes Pietsch, better known as JJ, won the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in 2025. The competition took place on the night of May 21, 2025 in Basel. JJ convinced the spectators with his song "Wasted Love" and thus brought the ESC to Austria. In an interview, he expressed the wish that the ESC 2026 in Vienna should take place without the participation of Israel. "It is very disappointing that Israel is still participating in the competition", JJ was in the Spanish newspaper El País cited.

at this ESC, Israel competed by singer Yuval Raphael, who took second place with her song "New Day Will Rise". In the audience voting, Israel even landed in first place, but the points of the juries finally decided in favor of JJ and Austria. It is worth noting that Yuval Raphael is a survivor of the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, in which numerous people died. The war between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas, which has been raging since then, forms the context for criticism of Israel's participation in the ESC.

political tensions and public reactions

The situation around the ESC is also loud through the critical voices. Last year's winner Nemo from Switzerland and 70 former ESC participants have also spoken out for an exclusion of Israel. The European Radio Union (EBU), which organizes the ESC, is therefore faced with a pressure that is also reflected on social media. A FAQ document from Eurovision was published to explain the reasons for Israel's participation and address the controversy. However, EBU confirmed that Israel has the right to take part in the competition because it is a member of the EBU and has a state broadcasting institution.

Another aspect is the continuing violence in the Gaza Strip, where more than 50,000 people have been killed since the conflict. This number is confirmed by various sources, including statements by Hamas and the United Nations. A spokesman for the Advocacy Group Palestine Solidarity Campaign described Israel's participation in the competition as "shameless" and called for solidarity with the victims of the conflict.

consequences for commentators

The EBU meanwhile threatened Spanish state television RTVE after comments discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip during the ESC final. In the second ESC semi-final, RTVE commentators pointed out the over 50,000 deaths of the war and thus violated the official guidelines that prohibit political statements in the context of the competition. Spain defended the comments and indicated that criticism of Israeli military policy could also be expressed in the ESC final.

The EBU emphasizes that, in contrast to the current situation with Israel, she wants to adhere to the basic values ​​of universalization and inclusiveness of the competition. The conflict is not new: in the past there have already been discussions about the participation of other countries, such as Russia, Georgia and Lebanon, which were excluded for political reasons.

The topics related to Israel's participation in the ESC not only reflect the political landscape, but also the emotional and human tragedies that are connected to the ongoing conflict. The next ESC event 2026 in Vienna could therefore be in the shade of these topics.