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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for Israel to be excluded from the Eurovision Song Contest in response to its ongoing military operations in Gaza, drawing a parallel with Russia’s exclusion from the event following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Sánchez argued that international cultural events should not employ “double standards,” pointing out that Russia was swiftly banned from Eurovision due to its actions in Ukraine. He said Israel should be held to the same standard amid its military campaign in Gaza.
Speaking during a press conference in Madrid, Sánchez stated, “No one hesitated when Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago, and [Russia] was banned from international competitions, including Eurovision. Therefore, Israel should also be excluded. We cannot allow double standards in culture.”
Israel placed second in this year’s Eurovision Grand Final, held in Switzerland on Saturday, after winning the public vote. Spanish viewers gave Israel the maximum 12 points — a result that has stirred political debate in Spain. Following the vote, Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli, mocked Sánchez in a social media post, calling the vote result “a slap in the face for the Spanish prime minister, which we have heard here in Jerusalem.”
BBC News has reached out to the contest’s governing body, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), for comment on Sánchez’s remarks.
The Spanish prime minister went on to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, condemning what he described as the “injustice of war and bombardment.”
“Spain’s commitment to international law and human rights must remain constant and coherent,” he said. “Europe’s commitment must be as well.”
Sánchez’s government, which officially recognized the State of Palestine last year, has consistently voiced criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Just last week, the prime minister described Israel as “a genocidal state” during a session in the Spanish Congress. The statement prompted a swift response from Israel’s foreign ministry, which summoned the Spanish ambassador for a formal rebuke over the prime minister’s “serious remarks.”
Despite the political tensions, Israeli artist Yuval Raphael received strong public support during the Eurovision final, with the song New Day Will Rise earning Israel the top televote score from Spain. In response, Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE has requested an official audit of the vote to verify the outcome.
Ahead of Saturday’s final, RTVE aired a pro-Palestinian message, signaling its stance despite receiving a prior warning from the EBU to avoid political statements or references to the Gaza conflict during the broadcast.
Spain’s own Eurovision entry, Esa Diva by singer Melody, finished 24th in the competition, far behind the leading scores. The broader controversy around Israel’s participation, however, overshadowed the country’s performance and outcome in this year’s contest.
