How Israel Turned Eurovision’s Stage Into a Soft Power Tool
Last fall and winter, senior Israeli diplomats urgently contacted officers and tv broadcasters throughout Europe to deal with a delicate, if sudden matter: the excessive camp Eurovision Song Contest.
Broadcasters needed to ban Israel from Eurovision and threatened to boycott the competition over the battle in Gaza. Some even accused the Israeli authorities of unfairly influencing the outcomes via a mass voting marketing campaign.
Israel arguably had greater diplomatic issues than a pop music competitors, even one which reaches 166 million viewers around the globe. A United Nations fee had just lately accused Israel of committing genocide, which it vigorously denied. And world leaders had been recognizing Palestinian statehood, which it had lengthy opposed.
“I am a little bit surprised why this is a matter that the embassy is looking into,” Stefan Eiriksson, the top of Iceland’s nationwide broadcaster, wrote to an Israeli diplomat who needed to debate Eurovision final December.
This beforehand undisclosed diplomatic push to maintain Israel in Eurovision was only one side of a drama that unfolded over the previous 12 months around the globe’s most watched cultural occasion. To the Israeli authorities, Eurovision turned extra than simply a celebration of glittery outfits, homosexual delight and pyrotechnic staging. It turned a likelihood, via sturdy showings by its singers, to burnish the nation’s flagging repute and rally worldwide assist.
This 12 months’s competitors begins on Tuesday, following the largest disaster in Eurovision’s 70-year historical past. Iceland and 4 different international locations are boycotting to protest Israel’s participation. The nonprofit European Broadcasting Union, which runs the competition, faces monetary challenges.
A New York Times investigation discovered a well-organized marketing campaign by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s authorities that embraced Eurovision as a tender energy device, and a secretive contest organizer that was ill-equipped to reply.
As the usually lighthearted contest turned a proxy battle over Middle Eastern affairs and human rights, Eurovision struggled to defend a core tenet: Politics play no function within the occasion.
Israel’s efforts to affect Eurovision’s vote had been broader and began years sooner than beforehand recognized. Even earlier than the voting controversy burst into view, monetary data present, Israel spent at the least $1 million on Eurovision advertising and marketing. Some of that cash got here from Mr. Netanyahu’s “hasbara” workplace, a euphemism for abroad propaganda, to advertise Israel’s singer.
Governments should not purported to intervene within the voting. Eurovision is a contest for public broadcasters and singers, not governments.
The Israeli overseas ministry didn’t reply to detailed requests to remark. A spokesman for Mr. Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned he would evaluation the questions and think about responding. He didn’t reply.
Eurovision’s director, Martin Green, mentioned in an interview that Israel’s actions final 12 months had been extreme however didn’t contribute to Israel’s sudden second-place end.
A Times investigation based mostly on beforehand undisclosed voting information, Eurovision paperwork and interviews with greater than 50 individuals, nevertheless, discovered that the marketing campaign may have simply modified the competition final result.
Israel’s singer received the favored votes in international locations the place polls present that Israel is deeply unpopular. A vote analysis exhibits that, in some international locations, it could have solely taken a few hundred individuals to tip the favored vote, which in flip can form the ultimate final result due to the competition’s voting system.
There is not any proof that Israel, as some Eurovision followers speculated, used bots or different covert techniques to govern the vote.
Organizers have saved full vote information a carefully guarded secret, even from their very own broadcasters. Faced with an inner revolt and threats from Israeli allies to go away the competition, they publicly downplayed Israel’s vote marketing campaign and by no means completely investigated it.
Contest organizers commissioned a evaluation of broadcasters’ emotions on Israel however saved the total report secret. They called a vote on retaining Israel within the contest, then abruptly canceled it. They discouraged broadcasters from speaking to journalists.
“The Israeli government has co-opted Eurovision,” mentioned Stefan Jon Hafstein, the chairman of the board for Iceland’s public broadcaster.
Buying commercials and coordinating social media messaging shouldn’t be unlawful. Eurovision is, in spite of everything, simply a singing contest — albeit the world’s largest. But whereas governments usually attempt to capitalize on the publicity their singers present, no government-led promotional effort has been as intensive and controversial as Israel’s.
“Israel’s voice should be heard everywhere,” mentioned Israel’s largely ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, who raised the boycott concern in conferences with world leaders final 12 months. “We should participate, we should raise our flag high, and we should bring the best performers to Eurovision.”
Eurovision, which as soon as launched the worldwide careers of ABBA and Celine Dion, faces an unsure future. Financial projections reviewed by The Times estimated final 12 months that the boycotts would price the nonprofit broadcasting group lots of of 1000’s of {dollars} in participation charges. Mr. Green mentioned Eurovision’s funds had been strong, however acknowledged struggling to seek out sponsors.
“It’s certainly one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced,” Mr. Green mentioned of the Israel controversy. But Eurovision, he added, exists to display world concord — “to show the world as it could be.”
This is the within story of the controversy that nearly broke Eurovision.
Eurovision as Soft Power
In May 2024, followers gathered within the coastal Swedish metropolis of Malmo for the primary Eurovision contest of the Gaza battle.
Despite the title, Eurovision brings collectively singers and broadcasters from around the globe. Israel debuted in 1973. Musicians compete beneath nationwide flags, however the acts are funded by broadcasters.
At the time, no bright-line rule prohibited authorities promotion, however independence is a core Eurovision tenet.
The Israeli authorities, although, had quietly been selling its broadcaster’s acts since at the least 2018, in keeping with Doron Medalie, a former Eurovision songwriter for Israel. The authorities spent greater than $100,000 on social media promotion that 12 months, he mentioned. Israel received.
Mr. Medalie mentioned the victory satisfied Israeli leaders that Eurovision, which is vastly well-liked in Israel, was a good funding.
The Netanyahu authorities elevated spending forward of the Malmo contest, data present.
European public opinion opposed the battle, and a few music business teams had been already calling for Israel to be kicked out of Eurovision. A powerful Israeli efficiency would present that Israel was beloved by the European public, in keeping with Israeli officers. They, together with some individuals near Eurovision, spoke on situation of anonymity, both as a result of they weren’t licensed to talk publicly or as a result of they feared retribution from contest organizers.
In Malmo, the Israeli authorities spent greater than $800,000 in Eurovision-related promoting, in keeping with information from the Israeli Government Advertising Agency. The information, which was obtained by the Israeli media watchdog The Seventh Eye and offered to The Times, reveals that the majority of the cash got here from the overseas ministry. A line merchandise from the prime minister’s hasbara workplace confirmed that it had additionally allotted cash for “vote promotion.”
Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan, instructed The Times that it had no prior data of presidency advert campaigns and that, to its data, “the competition rules weren’t violated.”
In 2024, Israel’s singer, Eden Golan, got here second within the well-liked vote and topped the voting in many countries the place pro-Palestinian sentiment is robust. “The world, it seems, is not against us,” the Israeli information web site Ynet wrote.
Ynet famous that the overseas workplace had marketed on YouTube throughout Eurovision. But the story, and the weird voting patterns, in any other case acquired little consideration.
Eurovision broadcasters had been preoccupied. The activist Greta Thunberg and 1000’s of others crowded Malmo, protesting Israel’s involvement. Onstage, a number of singers wore Palestinian symbols. The Dutch rapper Joost Klein was expelled for an unrelated altercation with a camerawoman.
But one broadcaster, from Slovenia, famous the peculiar vote final result and requested Eurovision to launch extra information. Organizers by no means responded, the broadcaster mentioned.
Eurovision mentioned final week that it had not deemed any Israeli promotions from 2024 to be extreme.
Eurovision had put Malmo behind it, however its issues had been solely starting.
‘Vote 20 Times!’
At the 2025 Eurovision contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Israel completed second general and received the favored vote — as soon as once more carrying international locations the place individuals have been outspoken towards Israel’s insurance policies.
This time, the sudden outcomes had been seen.
Using Google’s advert library, journalists on the Finnish broadcaster Yle revealed that the Israeli authorities had purchased on-line commercials in a number of languages, calling on individuals to vote for the Israeli contestant, Yuval Raphael, as much as the utmost 20 instances.
Spending figures for that contest should not obtainable, however Israel’s marketing campaign was broader and extra coordinated than in Malmo.
Mr. Netanyahu himself posted a graphic to social media encouraging individuals to vote 20 instances for Ms. Raphael. Pro-Israel teams throughout Europe posted the identical and associated graphics. Israel’s deputy ambassador to Austria, Ilay Levi Judkovsky, instructed The Times that he had contacted a diaspora group to rally assist for Ms. Raphael.
Mr. Medalie, the Israeli songwriter, defended the technique. Israel spends a lot on safety, he mentioned, that it was solely truthful that the federal government fund promotion.
“Everybody is jealous and triggered because Israel is achieving great results,” he mentioned.
Israel’s promotion efforts may have simply affected the favored vote, an analysis of vote data discovered. That’s as a result of, in some international locations, data present, so few individuals vote that solely a number of hundred voting repeatedly may change the end result.
After the competition, Slovenia’s broadcaster once more demanded voting information and threatened to withdraw. Others privately known as for an out of doors investigation.
Mr. Green, the director, promised that Eurovision’s governing physique would evaluation the vote. But that group by no means acquired a full vote evaluation, simply “top-line” information, Mr. Green acknowledged.
Neither he nor the broadcasting union commissioned an exterior investigation.
“We are very, very happy that the result is true and fair and analyzed,” Mr. Green mentioned.
In July, at a broadcaster assembly in London, dissent mounted. Spain known as for a debate over Israel’s participation, and for altering a voting system that it noticed as prone to manipulation.
Rather than examine, Eurovision employed a guide, the Czech broadcasting veteran Petr Dvorak, to interview members about Israel’s participation.
Opinions various extensively. “Sometimes, they just felt that Israel as a state is sometimes using this event as some sort of promotional tool,” Mr. Dvorak recalled in an interview. Others needed Eurovision to skip or postpone the 2026 contest. Some felt that Kan, the Israeli broadcaster, shouldn’t be held accountable for the actions of its authorities.
Broadcasters would later obtain solely a abstract of Mr. Dvorak’s findings, not his report, reinforcing some views that the trouble was a waste of time.
By the tip of September, 5 broadcasters — Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and Slovenia — had been brazenly discussing a boycott.
A Simmering Controversy Boils Over
A Eurovision assembly in Croatia that month didn’t allay issues. Instead, Mr. Green’s staff gave two seemingly contradictory shows, in keeping with two attendees.
The first presentation claimed that Israel had not affected the 2025 final result. No detailed information was supplied. The second presentation coached broadcasters on utilizing social media to safe extra votes.
To some within the room, organizers gave the impression to be saying that on-line campaigns may affect the vote, however that Israel’s had not.
Organizers had been caught between competing factions. Rumors swirled that Norway and Portugal may be a part of the dissenting 5 international locations if Israel remained onstage. Documents present that Israeli allies like Germany and Estonia opposed a ban.
Organizers calculated the monetary results of each situations: dropping Israel’s critics, or dropping Israel and its defenders. Neither final result was good, data present. By some estimates, Eurovision stood to lose greater than $600,000 in charges.
Things had gotten so unhealthy that even Austria’s nationwide broadcasting chief floated in a single inner dialog the opportunity of his nation withdrawing in assist of Israel, in keeping with somebody instantly acquainted with the dialogue. That would have left the 2026 contest, set to happen in Vienna, with out a host.
(A spokesman for the Austrian broadcaster mentioned “it has always been clear” that Vienna would host. The broadcasting chief has since resigned.)
In a late September letter to members, Eurovision acknowledged that it had “never faced a divisive situation like this before” and introduced an emergency vote on Israel’s participation.
Privately, Eurovision’s legal professionals delivered a rare piece of recommendation: Organizers may legally exclude Israel in the event that they needed to.
Eurovision, Torn Apart
A number of weeks later, Eurovision canceled the emergency vote, citing the brand new cease-fire in Gaza. It pushed the difficulty into December.
Broadcasters nonetheless had questions on human rights and Israel’s advertising and marketing marketing campaign. But Eurovision seemingly needed the controversy to go away. Its communications staff had circulated an electronic mail discouraging broadcasters from talking with journalists.
The delay gave Israel’s authorities time to make a diplomatic push.
Israeli embassies contacted broadcasters in at the least three international locations, in keeping with paperwork and interviews with individuals concerned. In a fourth nation, the Israeli authorities contacted the overseas ministry to debate Eurovision.
Finally, in December, after months of debate and delay, broadcasters gathered in Geneva to deal with Israel’s participation.
Once once more, Eurovision sidestepped the query.
The broadcasting union organized a vote on whether or not to restrict every viewer to 10 votes and “discourage disproportionate promotion campaigns.”
There was a twist: If members permitted the adjustments, they’d be agreeing to maintain Israel in Eurovision — with out ever explicitly voting on the query. (Some members had instructed Mr. Dvorak that they didn’t wish to be held accountable of their residence international locations for such a vote.)
The broadcasting union’s president, Delphine Ernotte Cunci, acknowledged that the association “might appear to be rather bizarre.” But, she defined, not voting was “the most democratic solution possible,” in keeping with assembly minutes.
Frederik Delaplace, of the Belgian broadcaster VRT, was unconvinced. Eurovision, he mentioned within the assembly, was “hiding behind guidelines” reasonably than discussing human rights.
By secret poll, broadcasters permitted the rule adjustments. Israel would stay in Eurovision, with out anybody having to vote on the matter.
The dissenting 5 broadcasters quickly boycotted.
Mr. Green mentioned the brand new guidelines addressed “a perception issue,” not precise issues.
At this 12 months’s Eurovision in Vienna, other countries are testing the brand new guidelines, mobilizing their diasporas to vote.
And an Israeli commercial is as soon as once more producing controversy. A staff behind Israel’s entrant, Noam Bettan, circulated social media promotions calling for individuals to vote for him 10 instances.
Eurovision organizers, racing to keep away from a repeat of final 12 months, formally warned the broadcaster and requested that the posts be eliminated. “Employing a direct call to action to vote 10 times for one artist or song is also not in line with our rules, nor the spirit of the competition,” Mr. Green mentioned.
He once more reassured the general public that such campaigns can’t have an effect on the end result.
Kirsten Noyes contributed analysis. Elisabetta Provoledo, Natan Odenheimer and Gabby Sobelman contributed reporting.
