The Case for Expelling Israel from Eurovision
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The term ‘hypocrisy’ is the most convenient term, but certainly not the most apt to describe the inclusion of Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.
We must search for other terms that could possibly explain why a country that has just committed one of the most horrific genocides in modern history is celebrated as a hub for culture, art, and music.
‘Complicity’ is a possible alternative, though still not enough to fully explain the West’s insistence on whitewashing the Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people.
Many of those protesting Israel’s inclusion in the competition, which typically attracts tens of millions of viewers worldwide, rightly note that Russia was expelled within 36 hours after its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
In fact, the Russian example does not stop at Eurovision. Thousands of such sanctions have been slapped against Moscow in every possible field, from politics to the economy to sports, culture, and more.
Even now, thousands of sanctions later, European officials are still mulling over or carrying out yet more sanctions. Europe is never satisfied when it comes to punishing Russia or any country that orbits outside its political sphere.
But is Israel a European country? Answering this question requires that we deeply appreciate the profound and sinister relationship between Israel and the West in general, and Israel and Europe in particular.
Israel is a European offspring, the hideous creation of Western imperialism and colonialism. It is........





















Toi Staff
Sabine Sterk
Gideon Levy
Mark Travers Ph.d
Waka Ikeda
Tarik Cyril Amar
Grant Arthur Gochin
Chester H. Sunde