Spain's PM Urges Israel Exclusion from Eurovision Amid Gaza Conflict

Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, has called for Israel to be barred from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest because of its recent military actions in Gaza. During a recent press conference, Sánchez highlighted that since Russia was suspended from the competition in 2022 due to its invasion of Ukraine, a similar stance should hold true for Israel to avoid "double standards." Despite the call for exclusion, Israel garnered significant support from viewers, even receiving the maximum 12 points from Spain’s audience for its entry “New Day Will Rise,” performed by Yuval Raphael, which secured second place overall.

In his remarks, Sánchez expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people suffering from conflict, asserting Spain's commitment to international law and human rights. His government, known for its critical stance against Israel, had previously recognized Palestine as a state. The Israeli government reacted strongly, with Minister Amichai Chikli mocking Sánchez’s comments on social media, claiming that the voting results were a direct repudiation of Sánchez’s position. Following the contest, Spain’s broadcast network, RTVE, requested an audit of the voting process after airing a pre-Eurovision message supportive of Palestinians, despite EBU warnings to refrain from such political statements. Meanwhile, Spain's own song, "Esa Diva" by Melody, finished in 24th place.