The Eurovision Song Contest claims to celebrate unity, diversity, and peace through music. But in 2025, those ideals are collapsing under the weight of hypocrisy. By allowing Israel to participate while its military continues a widely condemned campaign of genocide in Gaza, marked by over 60,000 Palestinian deaths, widespread targeting of civilian infrastructure, mass displacement, and an unfolding famine according to UN reports and humanitarian organizations, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has compromised not just the contest, but the moral credibility of the entire continent.

From Malmö to Madrid, from Dublin to Berlin, the backlash has been fierce and unapologetic. Over 20,000 protesters filled the streets outside the Eurovision venue in Malmö, Sweden, holding signs that read “Eurovision, blood is on your hands.” The demonstration was organized by a coalition of pro-Palestinian groups, including Swedish Peace and local activist networks, and featured appearances by high-profile artists and public figures who called for Israel’s exclusion from the contest. The chants weren’t about music-they were about complicity.

A Contest in Denial

This is not the first time Eurovision has faced a crisis of conscience. But unlike with Russia, which was swiftly banned after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EBU has allowed Israel to perform as though nothing is happening. As if Israeli bombs are not falling on hospitals. As if thousands of civilians have not died. As if Gaza is not being reduced to rubble.

Over 70 former contestants signed an open letter demanding Israel’s exclusion, including Irish winner Charlie McGettigan, Iceland’s Daði Freyr, and Portugal’s Conan Osíris. The letter condemned the EBU’s hypocrisy and called for the organization to apply its standards consistently. In response, the EBU claimed that Eurovision is a non-political event, a statement critics say only highlights its selective enforcement of that principle. Ireland’s broadcaster RTÉ formally called for a discussion with the EBU. The anger is not fringe, it is widespread, and it is justified.

Artists Silenced, Voices Censored

Meanwhile, artists calling for peace or solidarity with Palestinians have been silenced. Ireland’s Bambie Thug was asked to remove pro-Palestinian messages from their performance, including visible symbols and stage design elements referencing the Free Palestine movement and calls for ceasefire. While they complied under pressure from contest organizers, other performers were not held to similar standards, raising questions about selective enforcement. For instance, artists from other countries have included national or solidarity imagery in past years without interference, yet Palestinian solidarity is uniquely policed. Israel’s Eden Golan, originally set to perform a song widely interpreted as glorifying the military response to October 7, had her lyrics altered following criticism, but was still allowed to compete.

That Golan was booed in rehearsal speaks to the mood among both audiences and artists. Eurovision, for all its glitter, is no longer neutral ground. It has become a battleground for ethics, and the EBU has chosen its side.

A Stage Stained with Hypocrisy

The decision to allow Israel to participate sends a clear message: the rules only apply to certain countries. When Russia invaded Ukraine, the EBU stated that ‘the inclusion of a Russian entry would bring the competition into disrepute’ and swiftly removed them. But when Israel flattens Gaza, the EBU claims Eurovision is ‘a non-political event’ and hides behind neutrality. This contrast is not just inconsistency, it is complicity.

Cultural events do not exist in a vacuum. They reflect the values of those who organize them. Right now, Eurovision is reflecting cowardice.

The Shame Is Not Just Israel’s

What’s at stake isn’t just the contest. It’s Europe’s claim to moral leadership. As Gaza burns, Eurovision celebrates. As children die, it plays pop music and urges us to dance. This disconnect is not just grotesque, it’s unforgivable.

To the artists forced to share a stage with an occupying power. To the audiences asked to applaud while a genocide unfolds. To the people of Gaza, watching the continent look away, Eurovision has failed you.

It is not too late for the EBU to change course. But for now, the shame belongs not only to Israel. It belongs to Eurovision. And to Europe.