Spain’s Minister of Culture and Sumar spokesperson, Ernest Urtasun, has raised the prospect of Spain pulling out of the Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is not excluded from the competition. Speaking on La hora de La 1 on Spanish broadcaster TVE, Urtasun sharply criticized Israel’s government, describing it as dominated by the far right and “one of the greatest disgraces of the 21st century.”
The minister denounced the labeling of Gaza war critics as “antisemitic,” calling it a distortion that undermines the fight against real antisemitism. He also expressed pride that Vice President Yolanda DÃaz, a vocal critic of Israeli policy, had been declared persona non grata by Israel — framing the move as a badge of honor for her stance against the “Palestinian massacre.”
The debate soon spilled over into Eurovision. Urtasun reminded viewers that Spain had already joined calls for Israel’s expulsion from the contest and hinted at following Slovenia’s lead: the country has announced it will withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel remains on the lineup. While noting that the final decision rests with Spain’s broadcaster RTVE, Urtasun warned that if expulsion is not achieved, “measures will have to be taken.”
He applauded popular protests — such as those witnessed during the Vuelta a España cycling race — stressing that Israel’s participation in high-profile events should not be treated as business as usual. “Whether it’s athletes or artists, they represent a country. And this cannot be normalized,” he said.
Eurovision itself has been mired in controversy since last May’s contest in Basel. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had already demanded Israel’s suspension, echoing the precedent set with Russia after the invasion of Ukraine. That call was backed by more than 70 former Eurovision contestants, who signed an open letter opposing Israel’s participation and its broadcaster KAN. Several countries (including Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Belgium, and the Netherlands) also pushed for an independent audit of voting irregularities, after public voting results strongly favoring Israel were not reflected in the final tally.
The uproar carried into the live broadcast: Israel’s entrant, Yuval Raphael, was audibly booed by the audience, though the moments were largely muted in the official feed, prompting suspicions of audio and visual censorship. The tension was so palpable that Austria, the winner of Eurovision 2025, openly stated afterwards that Israel should not be part of the contest in 2026.
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