JJ will Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna "without Israel"

"It is very disappointing that Israel is still participating in the competition," the Spanish newspaper "El País" quoted the 24-year-old. "I would like the Eurovision Song Contest to take place in Vienna next year, without Israel. But the ball is now in the EBU's court. We artists can only express our opinions." Political reactions followed.

In a video circulating on social media, the 24-year-old said: "I am very disappointed that Russia was excluded and Israel was not." Both are aggressors.

Reactions from JJ and ORF

In response to an APA inquiry, the current ESC winner somewhat qualified his statements through his record label Warner: "I am sorry if my words were misunderstood. Although I criticize the Israeli government, I condemn any form of violence against civilians anywhere in the world - whether against Israelis or Palestinians. I will not comment further on this topic."

"JJ's statements reflect his private opinion and are not related to ORF," emphasized the media house: "For ORF, music and artistic performances are the focus at the ESC. The EBU also has clear guidelines that separate politics from entertainment. It is the only authority that decides on the participation or exclusion of countries."

European Broadcasting Union (EBU) decides on Israel's participation in 2026

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is an association of broadcasters from 56 countries and the organizer of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), which has existed since 1956. In light of JJ's statements, the EBU now emphasized that as a union, it is an association of public broadcasters, not a union of governments. Not least, it also sees it as its task to enable the Israeli member broadcaster KAN to have a future as a public media house and to protect it against the threat of privatization or closure by the Israeli government.

"The EBU is not immune to global events, but it is our task, together with our members, to ensure that the contest remains at its core a universal event that promotes connection and diversity through music," the EBU continued: "It is not our task to draw comparisons between conflicts."

"Completely misguided", "politically poorly advised"

"The statements of our Song Contest winner JJ are unacceptable. Wanting to exclude Israel from the ESC and equating it with Russia is completely misguided and historically ignorant," emphasized former National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP). Ignoring the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas - in which over 1,200 people were murdered, families destroyed, and numerous hostages abducted, many of whom are still in captivity today - while simultaneously demonizing Israel, serves dangerous anti-Semitic patterns.

"Terror and anti-Semitism have no place in our free, pluralistic society, nor do sympathies for them," responded Alexander Pröll (ÖVP), State Secretary for the Fight Against Anti-Semitism. The attempt to equate Russia with Israel amounts to a falsification of history.

"JJ is a great singer - but apparently politically dangerously ill-advised," judged Lower Austria's Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP). In Lower Austria, there would "certainly be no ESC without Israel."

Last year's winner Nemo also advocated for Israel's exclusion from the Song Contest

Israel's participation in the ESC has been repeatedly criticized in recent months. The background is the war against the terrorist organization Hamas, which Israel is conducting in the Palestinian Gaza Strip. This began after the massacre by Palestinian terrorists in Israel in October 2023. Since then, more than 50,000 people have died in the Gaza Strip.

Nemo, who was successful for Switzerland at the Song Contest last year, also openly advocated for Israel's exclusion. Similarly, 70 former ESC participants recently expressed themselves in an open letter.

Israel's ESC candidate: Survivor of the terror attack

For Israel, singer Yuval Raphael (24) competed last Saturday evening. She is a survivor of the terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. At that time, she was with a friend at the Nova Music Festival, where terrorists from the Gaza Strip carried out a massacre.

Her song "New Day Will Rise" landed in 2nd place in the ESC final in Basel behind JJ, with Israel even winning the public vote. JJ, in turn, scored particularly well with the professional juries, ultimately securing the victory for him and thus for Austria.

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(APA/Red.)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.