Eurovision winner apologizes for calling for Israel's expulsion

BarcelonaAfter having raised his voice by calling for Israel's expulsion from Eurovision, this year's winner, Austrian JJ, has reversed himself. Following the criticism he has received in his country and accusations of anti-Semitism, the countertenor has backtracked. "I regret that my words have been misinterpreted. While I criticize the Israeli government, I condemn any form of violence against civilians anywhere in the world, whether against Israelis or Palestinians," he said in an interview. He also added that from now on he will no longer make any comments on the Gaza war or any political commentary.

A few days ago, JJ took advantage of his victory to demand changes to the contest: the exclusion of Israel from the next edition of Eurovision and greater transparency in the voting system. "[Eurovision] has to make changes to the voting system and who participates in the contest," the singer told the newspaper The Country just hours after winning in Basel. Her statement is just one more among the critical voices that question the suitability of Israel's presence and the role of the popular vote. This year, Yuval Raphael, the Israeli representative, rose from the 15th position awarded to her by the European jury to second place in the final ranking thanks to the televote, which gave her the maximum score of 297 points. She was the most voted artist in twelve countries, including Spain. JJ won at the last minute, with a total of 436 points, although the jury had given them 258.

This year's winner has also called for "more transparency in the issue of televoting" and has thus joined a European sector that distrusts the voting process at Eurovision. The Spanish delegation has requested an audit to clarify the results, but it is not the only one to have criticized the system. RTE, Ireland's public broadcaster, has requested a breakdown of the voting; The Netherlands, Belgium, and Finland have called for a review of the voting rules, and Iceland, Slovenia, and Norway have requested information about the televoting. The Belgian public broadcaster VRT has even threatened to withdraw from the competition if clarity in the process isn't guaranteed.

The Austrian artist, who defines himself as a defender of the rights of the community, queer, lamented in the interview that Israel is allowed to participate in the festival. "It's very disappointing to see that Israel continues to participate in the contest. I would like next year's Eurovision to be held in Vienna and without Israel. But the one who holds the upper hand is the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). We, the artists, can only raise our voices on the matter."

Eurovision, despite being a competition that defines itself as apolitical, has become increasingly embroiled in debates about international justice. Pro-Palestinian activists organized visible protests during the event in Basel, rejecting Israeli participation while the armed conflict in Gaza continues. Spanish President Pedro Sánchez also criticized the situation of "double standards." "What we cannot allow are double standards, not even in culture," he said last Monday at the Moncloa Palace. Despite the criticism, Israel's role in Eurovision goes beyond its status as a participant because it is part of the economic structure of the contest. The festival's main sponsor is Moroccanoil, an Israeli cosmetics company, making the country's withdrawal from the competition highly unlikely.

The artist's statements have already sparked reactions in Austria. Austrian public broadcaster ORF emphasized that they represent a "personal opinion." JJ, for his part, said he regrets if his words have been misinterpreted, but has not retracted them.