Austria’s Eurovision Winner Calls For Competition To Be Held ‘Without Israel’

Fresh from his Eurovision 2025 victory, Austrian singer JJ is making headlines not just for his winning track Wasted Love, but for his outspoken stance on one of the contest’s most contentious issues: Israel’s participation.

As Austria gears up to host Eurovision 2026, JJ is urging organisers to exclude Israel from the competition, citing growing concerns over the country’s military actions in Gaza and the politicisation of the supposedly apolitical event.

Eurovision winner JJ speaks out against Israel inclusion

“It’s very disappointing to see Israel still participating in the competition,” JJ told El País, a Spanish newspaper of the 2025 Eurovision competition.

“I would like Eurovision to be held in [Austria’s capital city] Vienna next year, without Israel. But the ball is in the EBU’s court. We, the artists, can only speak out on the matter.”

JJ’s remarks come in the wake of heated protests during this year’s contest in Basel, Switzerland, where demonstrators booed Israel’s entrant, Yuval Raphael, on the iconic turquoise carpet and clashed with police during her performance of New Day Will Rise.

Although Israel secured first place in the Eurovision public vote, JJ’s overall score from both the jury and the public propelled him to the top spot.

Over 70 former Eurovision participants, including the UK’s Mae Muller, had already signed an open letter before the contest, calling for Israel’s exclusion.

Last year’s winner for Switzerland, Nemo, also joined the criticism, stating that it “doesn’t make sense” for Israel to still be part of the line-up.

The debate over Israel’s involvement in Eurovision has intensified due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Following the October 2023 Hamas attack on the Nova music festival, which killed 1,195 people and led to hundreds being taken hostage, Israel launched a military campaign that has since resulted in what is estimated at 50,000 deaths, with thousands more from indirect causes such as starvation and exposure according to reports.

Beyond political concerns, JJ has also pushed for reform within Eurovision itself.

“There should be greater transparency regarding the televoting. This year, everything was very strange about it,” he said, echoing calls from Ireland, Spain, and Finland for an independent review of the voting process after Israel leapt from 14th in the jury vote to first in the public tally.

While the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) insists that Eurovision remains apolitical and that this year’s vote was “checked and verified independently,” critics point to the 2022 ban on Russia as evidence of selective enforcement.

JJ remains hopeful that Vienna will host Eurovision 2026, though the final decision is expected later this summer.

Regardless of location, it’s clear that next year’s contest will be under unprecedented scrutiny, politically, ethically, and artistically.