Israeli pop star Noa Kirel delivered a forceful response in an interview with the BBC after four countries-Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, and the Netherlands-announced that they would boycott the Eurovision Song Contest, accusing Israel of killing civilians and committing humanitarian crimes.
When asked for her reaction to the boycott, Kirel said she was “deeply disappointed” by the accusations and the decision of the participating countries to withdraw for political reasons.
“Eurovision is a bridge, not a wall, meant to connect hearts through music,” she said. “Unfortunately, some countries are allowing politics to destroy the celebration. Israel has not violated any Eurovision rule. Israel is a peace-seeking nation.”
Kirel stressed that the context of the current conflict is being ignored. “On October 7, Israel did not attack anyone. Israel was brutally attacked in a way the world has never seen. Entire families were murdered, children were slaughtered, and civilians were kidnapped. Israel defended itself-just as any other country would-and these states choose to ignore that reality.”
She said the boycott is not a principled stance but a discriminatory one. “Boycotting Israel is antisemitism. A political boycott of Israel is not only an attack on Israel but an attack on everything Eurovision stands for.”
Kirel, who represented Israel at Eurovision in 2023 and placed third, has become one of the most prominent Israeli cultural voices on the international stage. Her remarks come amid ongoing debate within the European Broadcasting Union over political pressure surrounding the event and accusations of double standards regarding Israel’s participation.
Despite the controversy, Israel is expected to take part in the upcoming contest, with Kirel emphasizing that music should remain a space for unity, not division.