UN Rapporteur Praises European Boycott of Israel at Eurovision, Calls for Accountability Amid Ongoing Genocide

Original article: “Eurovicious no more”: relatora de la ONU aplaude boicot europeo a Israel en Eurovisión y acusa genocidio normalizado

UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, applauded the wave of European country delegations withdrawing from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest to protest Israel’s participation, calling it a step toward accountability for its genocide in Gaza.

«Israel has not been suspended from the UN, other international forums, UEFA, FIFA, FIBA, or cultural events. Genocide continues because it is normalized,» the Italian lawyer stated in a message posted on her X social media account.

«And so, just like that, accountability in the form of a European boycott begins. Eurovicious no more!»

These statements come amid the biggest crisis in the history of the music contest, following the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) decision to allow Israel’s participation in 2026. According to journalist Ahmed Eldin, in his analysis titled «Eurovision as an Israeli Propaganda Tool,» which was shared by Albanese, what began as a protest has escalated into an unprecedented «coordinated strike of broadcasters.»

Historic Boycott and Double Standards at Eurovision

Following the EBU’s announcement, Spain and Ireland announced their immediate withdrawal, soon followed by the Netherlands, Slovenia, and the Flemish Belgian broadcaster VRT. Iceland is expected to declare its position this Wednesday, under public pressure from iconic artist Björk to boycott. Even Turkey, which had already withdrawn, reaffirmed that Israel’s inclusion justifies its absence.

«This is not some secondary spectacle about a kitschy singing competition; it is the largest coordinated strike of broadcasters in Eurovision’s history. And it is happening because millions across Europe refuse to dance, sing, or applaud genocide,» Eldin emphasized, contextualizing the magnitude of this rebellion.

Albanese and Eldin’s analysis point to hypocrisy and double standards from Eurovision’s organizers, as Russia’s participation was banned following the conflict with Ukraine, with claims that the decision was necessary to prevent the music contest from being ‘discredited,’ noted the American-Kuwaiti journalist of Palestinian descent.

«Yet somehow, the murder of over 70,000 Palestinians—including more than 25,000 children—does not discredit Eurovision,» he highlighted.

He noted that «somehow, starvation, mass graves, bombed hospitals, the dozens of journalists killed, the devastated neighborhoods, the horror broadcast live of a vanished people» has not been reason enough to withdraw Israel.

In his opinion, this «architecture of selective outrage» is evidenced by the lack of European sanctions against Israel and the ongoing arms trade. Eldin referred to remarks by EU Vice President Kaja Kallas, who insisted at the Doha Forum that international law ‘must matter,’ contrasting it with the reality.

«Europe still allows Israel— a country not even geographically located on the continent—to use Eurovision as a soft power billboard while committing genocide in Gaza,» he remarked.

Israeli Propaganda and Sponsorship

The legitimacy crisis deepens following an investigation by Eurovision News Spotlight, which found that the Israeli government’s advertising agency—not the public broadcaster KAN—launched an undercover multiplatform campaign during Eurovision 2025, urging Europeans to vote massively for the Israeli contestant, thus violating EBU’s neutrality rules.

«The ads never mentioned KAN, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, because the broadcaster was not involved. The state was,» Eldin stated.

«This omission violated Eurovision’s own rules, which explicitly require networks to avoid government interference,» noted the journalist.

Behind the EBU’s reluctance to act against Israel lies a significant economic interest: one of the festival’s largest sponsors is Moroccanoil, an Israeli company accused of being an instrument of ‘hasbara’ (propaganda) and cultural appropriation. The brand, which was built by taking Moroccan argan oil and rebranding it as a luxury product, organizes incentive trips for distributors to illegal settlements, showcasing ‘the beauty of Israel’ while erasing the Palestinian reality.

«Moroccanoil not only sells hair products; it sells an image of Israel as glamorous, modern, carefree (…), all while applying a thick cosmetic layer over the ethnic cleansing,» Eldin described.

The Collapse of Myths and Cultural Resistance

For Rapporteur Albanese and the boycott movement, the core issue is dehumanization. «The question is no longer whether Eurovision understands its own political role; it is whether Europe has ever considered Palestinians as human,» the article posed.

The Spanish public broadcaster RTVE, before withdrawing, aired a juxtaposition of split-screen images showing Israel’s performance at Eurovision alongside footage of bombs falling on Gaza, starving children, mass graves, and entire families lost under rubble.

These recordings referenced a fact denounced by broadcasters, artists, and viewers across Europe: Eurovision has become a platform for whitewashing state crimes such as those committed by Israel.

Francesca Albanese’s message, «Eurovicious no more!», encapsulates this juncture. It is not merely a critique of a festival but an indictment against normalization.

As Ahmed Eldin concludes: «Eurovision cannot survive as a stage where genocide pauses for a costume change. It cannot claim apolitical innocence while granting Israel a global platform to sing over the graves of children.»

The accountability long called for regarding Israel, as praised by the UN rapporteur, already has its initial consequences at Eurovision, challenging not only a music contest but the political consciousness of an entire continent.