Austrian Eurovision winner JJ calls for Israel to be excluded from 2026 contest

Austrian singer JJ, who won this year's Eurovision song contest, called in an interview published on Thursday for Israel to be excluded from the 2026 edition in Vienna due to the war on Gaza.

Eurovision, which stresses its political neutrality, faced controversy again this year linked to the war. An Israeli military campaign has killed over 53,000 Palestinians in Gaza, the enclave's health authorities say.

Pro-Palestinian groups had urged the European Broadcasting Union to exclude Israel from the 2025 contest. Yet, Israel's Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the 7 October attack, emerged as the winner of the televote, finishing second overall after JJ.

"It is very disappointing to see Israel still participating in the contest. I would like the next Eurovision to be held in Vienna and without Israel," the 24-year-old JJ was quoted by Spanish newspaper El Pais as saying.

The Israeli embassy in Madrid did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

JJ's management company Manifester Music issued a statement later on Thursday, distributed by his label, Warner Music, quoting him as saying: "I am sorry if my words were misunderstood.

"Although I am critical of the Israeli government, I condemn all forms of violence against civilians anywhere in the world - be it against Israelis or Palestinians. I will not comment further on this issue."

With his song "Wasted Love", the operatic singer, whose real name is Johannes Pietsch, won the Eurovision jury vote at the contest held in Basel, Switzerland.

Though El Pais did not mention the war in the interview, JJ's remarks chimed with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's call on Monday for the exclusion of Israel from cultural events such as Eurovision over the conflict in Gaza.

JJ also said the vote-counting system should be revised to improve transparency.

He was the third Austrian winner of the contest, which has become the world's biggest music competition, watched by more than 160 million people around the globe.

Israel's entrant, Raphael, was reportedly at the Nova music festival near the Gaza border during the attack.

(Reuters)