Nemo, the artist who won the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2024 on behalf of Switzerland, announced this Thursday that he will return his trophy. The issue concerns Israel’s participation, which Nemo claims serves to “soften the image of a state accused of grave dishonesty.”
“Last year, I won the Eurovision Song Contest and, with it, I received the trophy. Although I am immensely grateful to the community around this contest and everything this experience has taught me, both as a person and an artist, today I no longer feel that this trophy belongs on my shelf,” Nemo wrote in a statement on Instagram.
Emphasizing that Eurovision “claims to represent unity, inclusion, and the dignity of all,” Nemo considered that the “ongoing participation of Israel, during what the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry concluded was genocide, demonstrates a clear conflict between these ideals and the decisions made by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).”
For Nemo, “it’s not about individuals or artists,” but a contest that has been “repeatedly used to soften the image of a state accused of grave dishonesty, while the EBU insisted that Eurovision was ‘apolitical.'”
“When entire countries withdraw due to this contradiction, it becomes clear that something is deeply wrong. That’s why I decided to return my trophy to the EBU headquarters in Geneva,” he announced.
And he added: “If the values we celebrate on stage are not lived out off stage, then even the most beautiful songs lose their meaning. I look forward to the moment these words and actions align.”
Nemo had already stated that Israel’s participation “doesn’t make sense”
In May, when Basel hosted the 69th edition of Eurovision following Switzerland’s victory in 2024, Nemo had already said that “Israel’s participation doesn’t make sense at this moment” due to the current offensive in Gaza.
“Personally, I think it doesn’t make sense for Israel to be part of this Eurovision. And Eurovision in general, at this moment,” Nemo said after being asked in an interview with HuffPost about his opinion on an open letter from 70 former participants calling for Israel’s exclusion (which included Portugal’s Salvador Sobral).
“I don’t know if I want to go into details, but I’ll say that I don’t support Israel’s participation in Eurovision at this moment,” he added. “I support the call for Israel’s exclusion from the Eurovision Song Contest.”
Nemo stressed that “Israel’s actions are fundamentally at odds with the values Eurovision intends to uphold – peace, unity, and respect for human rights.”
Protests and an expulsion highlight Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2024
Recall that Israel’s participation in Eurovision last year was heavily criticized due to the conflict in Gaza. Even before the contest, eight representatives – including Portuguese artist iolanda – issued a joint statement expressing unity against all forms of hatred, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.
During an intermission performance in one of the semifinals, Swedish singer Eric Saade, of Palestinian descent, faced criticism for wearing a keffiyeh, a scarf associated with Palestinian struggle, around his arm.
In the final, iolanda, who represented Portugal with ‘Grito’, saw her performance banned from social media and YouTube for having a keffiyeh pattern on her nails instead of the white color she used in the semifinal performance.
The Portuguese artist painted her nails with the popular keffiyeh pattern, a scarf symbolizing Palestinian resistance. The dress she wore at the final, on the other hand, is from a Palestinian brand.
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The Dutch singer Joost Klein, one of the favorites to win with “Europapa,” was expelled hours before the grand final, as per the EBU, following a complaint from a female production team member after an incident during his semifinal performance. According to the Swedish press, the complainant was a member of the Israeli delegation, and months later, the Swedish Public Prosecutor’s Office closed the case.
2026 Edition at risk?
Next year, the Eurovision Song Contest is expected to take place from May 12 to 16 in Vienna, Austria, after JJ’s victory with “Wasted Love” this year.
However, Israel’s participation could jeopardize the contest. Five countries – Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia, and Iceland – have already announced they will not participate in Eurovision while Israel remains part of it.
In Portugal, RTP announced last week that it voted in favor of changing the Eurovision Song Contest rules that allowed Israel’s participation and will take part in next year’s edition.
However, 17 musicians and performers announced on Wednesday their refusal to represent Portugal in Eurovision if they win RTP’s Festival da Canção, protesting Israel’s participation.
Additionally, a petition demanding Portugal’s “immediate withdrawal” from the European contest is ongoing, already gathering 25,000 signatures.
Iceland joined Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia on Wednesday in boycotting the Eurovision Song Contest due to the permission granted for Israel to remain in the competition. In Portugal, RTP announced it would participate in the next edition, but there is a petition calling for our country’s “immediate withdrawal.” Moreover, seventeen musicians announced their refusal to represent Portugal in Eurovision should they win Festival da Canção.
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