Thomas Porte, a member of the left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party and its MEP Rima Hassan on Thursday slammed the Eurovision Song Contest over Israel’s participation in the competition, Anadolu Agency reports.
“How can Eurovision continue to present itself as a celebration of peace, unity, and fraternity while offering a platform to a state accused of the gravest crimes under humanitarian and international law, and which is perpetuating the first filmed genocide of the 21st century?” lawmakers wrote in a statement reported by the L’Humanite newspaper.
They said that what is happening today in Gaza and in Lebanon as well is beyond a simple war and described Israel’s actions as a “large-scale policy of destruction.”
“An increasingly divided Europe is preparing to organize the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, a contest celebrating peace while rolling out the red carpet for a genocidal state. The long-displayed consensus is cracking,” Porte and Hassan underscored.
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Recalling that only 35 countries participate this year, they stressed that it is “a historically low level since the introduction of the semifinals in 2004.”
“Keeping Israel on stage is not neutral. It means offering a state accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of genocide a cultural whitewashing operation, a true ‘art-washing.’ It means accepting that one can destroy, starve, and kill, then come celebrate peace under the spotlight,” the statement added.
Pointing to Russia’s exclusion in 2022, they also called on the European Broadcasting Union to stop pretending there is no inconsistency “without discrediting itself.”
“We call on states to boycott until Israel is excluded from Eurovision,” the lawmakers said.
Several countries, including Slovenia, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Iceland, have already announced their withdrawal from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, which runs from May 12-16, following Israel’s inclusion.
READ: Eurovision 1994 winner to return trophy because of Israel’s participation
