In recent years, the Eurovision Song Contest has evolved beyond a kitschy display of pop music and pyrotechnics into a barometer of geopolitical sentiment. Nowhere has this transformation been more apparent than in Israel's participation in the 2024 and 2025 contests, where the nation's efforts to garner public support through televoting have dovetailed with wider foreign policy and public diplomacy strategies.
A Stage Set for Strategy
Israel's 2024 entry, initially titled "October Rain," was widely interpreted as a lament for the victims of the October 7 Hamas attacks. After intervention by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the song was retitled and adjusted to avoid overt political messaging. However, the underlying symbolism remained clear: a nation in mourning, a people under threat. In 2025, Israel again returned to Eurovision with a similarly emotionally charged performance, this time with the song "New Day Will Rise," earning maximum televote points from Australia and 13 other countries.
The European Song Contest (ESC) rules state: "The ESC is a non-political event. All Participating Broadcasters, including the Host Broadcaster, shall be responsible to ensure that all necessary measures are undertaken within in their respective Delegations and teams to safeguard the interests and the integrity of the ESC and to make sure that the ESC shall in no case be politicized and/or instrumentalized and/or otherwise brought into disrepute in any way. "
What stands out in both years is not only the content of the songs but the machinery behind the campaigns. In 2024, Israel's Foreign Ministry acknowledged organising and funding a global campaign to mobilise support for its entry. This included paid advertisements on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, as well as outreach through diaspora communities, influencers, and youth networks.The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged that it actively organized and funded a global campaign to boost televotes for Israel's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. David Saranga, Acting Deputy Director of Public Diplomacy at the ministry, stated that they "acted among friendly audiences to increase voting." This campaign even included a prominent billboard in New York's Times Square .The aim was not merely to win a song contest but to sway public perception at a time when Israel faced escalating criticism over its military actions in Gaza.
Cultural Diplomacy in a Time of Conflict
This strategy aligns with a broader trend in international relations: the use of soft power and cultural platforms to enhance national image. Coined by political scientist Joseph Nye, soft power refers to the ability of a country to shape the preferences of others through appeal and attraction rather than coercion or payment. Eurovision, with its enormous global reach, provides a ready-made stage for such efforts.
Historically, states have used cultural events to project images of modernity, resilience, and moral authority. For example, the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Russia's 2018 FIFA World Cup served similar purposes. In the case of Israel, Eurovision has become a venue for public diplomacy aimed at offsetting the reputational damage incurred by its controversial policies in the Palestinian territories.
A System Open to Influence
The structure of Eurovision televoting itself may inadvertently favour well-funded and organised campaigns. In Australia, for instance, viewers can cast up to 20 votes per credit card—effectively allowing those with greater financial means or institutional backing to amplify their influence. When this capacity is combined with a coordinated and targeted digital media campaign, it raises concerns about equity and the authenticity of public sentiment.
Indeed, the enthusiastic televote support for Israel in both 2024 and 2025, despite widespread global protests and calls for boycott, suggests more than just organic fandom. It reflects the successful activation of emotional narratives and the strategic use of digital tools to galvanise sympathy and solidarity at a moment of international scrutiny.
Sponsorship and Potential Conflicts of Interest
Further complicating the picture is the role of Moroccanoil, an Israeli-founded cosmetics company and Eurovision's main corporate sponsor since 2020. While there is no direct evidence of undue influence, the optics raise legitimate questions about the EBU's willingness to confront or investigate aggressive lobbying by a country tied to a major financial partner. Comparisons have been made to the EBU's decision to ban Belarus in 2021 and Russia in 2022 for breaches of political neutrality—decisions that underscore the contest's uneasy balancing act between art and geopolitics.
Eurovision as a Political Theatre
In sum, Israel's Eurovision campaigns should not be viewed in isolation. They form part of a broader effort to maintain international legitimacy and bolster soft power through culture. This is not unprecedented, nor is it unique to Israel. But given the timing—amid a war in Gaza and intensifying global calls for accountability—these campaigns take on heightened political significance.
As Eurovision continues to draw massive global attention, its organisers and audiences alike must grapple with a difficult question: Can a contest that celebrates diversity and unity remain apolitical when it is increasingly used as a platform for state-sponsored image management? And if not, what are the implications for how we interpret, regulate, and participate in these seemingly light-hearted cultural spectacles?
Sources:
EBU Statements on Eurovision Participation Rules
Times of Israel and Haaretz reports on Israeli government-sponsored media campaigns
BBC and The Guardian coverage of Eurovision 2024 and 2025 controversies
Joseph Nye, Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics (2004)
Eurovision Voting Guidelines and Moroccanoil sponsorship disclosures
Academic commentary on nation branding and cultural diplomacy
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