Boycotts are completely wrong, and unfair. If someone is against Israel participation don’t watch, or vote.

Whoever would be singing for Israel has nothing to do with the Gaza conflict, they have not taken part in it. I find Russia’s invasion of Ukraine abhorrent, but am totally against any ban on Russia taking part in any music, or sports tournaments, the decisions of politicians are nothing to do with the singers or sports people.

Israel should take part in this and Russia should be allowed to take part in world cup, olympics and so on.

Edited December 28, 2025Dec 28 by What Lies Beneath

6 minutes ago, uhsting said:

Yeah not even a little surprised at this. At this point I don't even feel the need to "boycott" the contest because to me it's just lost all merit and integrity after all that's happened and so I'm not even having to force myself to not watch it. I'm just over it and it's clear that this is the general view in Iceland as I've not heard any songs on the radio, hardly any news stories about it and I hadn't even clocked the fact that the contest is this week until just now lol. Sad.

The same page that @uhsting was sharing also posted this one which... well, says it all.

3 hours ago, brave lil toaster said:

Yeah not even a little surprised at this. At this point I don't even feel the need to "boycott" the contest because to me it's just lost all merit and integrity after all that's happened and so I'm not even having to force myself to not watch it. I'm just over it and it's clear that this is the general view in Iceland as I've not heard any songs on the radio, hardly any news stories about it and I hadn't even clocked the fact that the contest is this week until just now lol. Sad.

I’m kind of in the same boat.

RIP Eurovision, you used to be quite good.

I am the same, completely forgot it was even happening this week. I’ve not even heard all of the songs, there are some I’ve heard that I enjoy and have saved but it’s been really easy to just disengage from the actual spectacle and I find myself not even caring. I thought it would be harder or I’d feel sad in a way but with what the contest has become, I don’t at all.

23 minutes ago, Liаm said:

I am the same, completely forgot it was even happening this week. I’ve not even heard all of the songs, there are some I’ve heard that I enjoy and have saved but it’s been really easy to just disengage from the actual spectacle and I find myself not even caring. I thought it would be harder or I’d feel sad in a way but with what the contest has become, I don’t at all.

I think the only one I've heard is Sweden's but tbh I had no idea it was a Eurovision song when I listened to it since it appeared on my Release Radar (because I already listen to the singer).

As expected, I hope more comes out about it. Meanwhile the BBC have written this simpering 'neutral' article that treats everyone rightly up in arms about Israel's actions recently as from the 'critics' side:

BBC News

Why Eurovision's fallout over Israel may change the compe...

With Eurovision facing its biggest boycott in 70 years, questions are growing over the competition's future.

~

I have heard all the songs and have some good ones from it (not very many, honestly) but I have engaged with it the least I ever have in 15 years. I will be watching just because my curiosity outweighs my opinion on the effectiveness of boycotts, plus social plans, but there will be no voting and I don't really care who wins because I am very much expecting a mockery of the voting system and Israel storming it.

Im on the Baltic Sea coast of Poland during ESC and won’t be watching. If I am weak I will pull a card out of the Israeli playbook and vote 10 times for Delta without having seen a millisecond of the show

44 minutes ago, Silas said:

If I am weak I will pull a card out of the Israeli playbook and vote 10 times for Delta without having seen a millisecond of the show

See, I don't even know what this means. Is Delta Airlines competing this year?

I will be in Spain for the semi's so I wouldn't be able to watch, even if I wanted to. Working nightshift during the final as well

I am not as sad about it as I thought I would be. It's been ruines for me and that started in '24 with the whole Israel and Joost thing. Any fun I've had with it has been ran into the ground. Keep yo Israel, EBU. I hope they win so at least some for of entertainment will come from this edition witht he aftermath

Would definitely love people voting for Australia/Finland/Denmark to ensure Israel do not win

It pains me to not be excited to watch the contest in the year Delta is competing, but here we are. I only just thought "hey, the semi final is tomorrow, right?", and that's a shame.

Tis a shame because a few of the songs are excellent and I'd love to support them. I don't think I'll be watching though.

Edited Monday at 21:241 day by Juranamo

I definitely think Israel wins, viewing and voting numbers will tank obviously with even fans not arsed and whole countries not even showing the contest and if they got as close as they did last year under “normal” circumstances, it’s easy for it to happen with less “normal” votes to contend with.

Even if get they banned for cheating (which they wont, they’ll be allowed to continue doing as they want just like they have been), I think bridges have been burned with some of the countries who have withdrawn and then you’ve got Germany and Italy who have threatened to go to if Israel is banned. So I don’t think the contest recovers whichever way the wind blows, the damage is done but the life support plug is getting pulled when they win. And I’m not surprised and I’m not even upset about it, as Tim said the whole Joost thing was really the day the contest died, at least the beginning of the end, and this feels like the end.

at least we will always have liverpool 2023 😿

Hopefully enough fans of different countries will vote 10 times for it to be somewhat competitive. If Israel dont get in the top 2 the fandom might recover next year. I dont get why you are allowed to vote 10 times in Eurovision anyway!

22 hours ago, Liаm said:

I am the same, completely forgot it was even happening this week. I’ve not even heard all of the songs, there are some I’ve heard that I enjoy and have saved but it’s been really easy to just disengage from the actual spectacle and I find myself not even caring. I thought it would be harder or I’d feel sad in a way but with what the contest has become, I don’t at all.

"The feeling has gone, only you and I, it means nothing to me
This means nothing to me
Oh, Vienna"

Edited 10 hours ago10 hr by TheSnake

4 hours ago, Liаm said:

I definitely think Israel wins, viewing and voting numbers will tank obviously with even fans not arsed and whole countries not even showing the contest and if they got as close as they did last year under “normal” circumstances, it’s easy for it to happen with less “normal” votes to contend with.

Even if get they banned for cheating (which they wont, they’ll be allowed to continue doing as they want just like they have been), I think bridges have been burned with some of the countries who have withdrawn and then you’ve got Germany and Italy who have threatened to go to if Israel is banned. So I don’t think the contest recovers whichever way the wind blows, the damage is done but the life support plug is getting pulled when they win. And I’m not surprised and I’m not even upset about it, as Tim said the whole Joost thing was really the day the contest died, at least the beginning of the end, and this feels like the end.

Yeah I'm fully expecting Israel to win. They're most definitely going to win the televote. I've noticed on social media here there's a bunch of people commenting under every story on Eurovision saying they're not Eurovision fans but they're going to watch this time and are gonna vote 10 times for Israel. Idk if they just don't realise that Iceland doesn't have a vote this year since we're not competing or if they're actually aware that they can only contribute to the "Rest of the World" vote this time lol. Gonna be a sh!t show for sure.

I can’t pretend to be boycotting it because I’m in a bit too deep but I attended for the last 3 years and had booked hotels to go again this year but decided not to when it was revealed Israel were staying. And I thought I’d feel the most intense FOMO this week but I actually don’t. I hadn’t even listened to every entry until 2 weeks ago compared to the last two years where I’ve reacted to every entry on my YouTube channel within 48 hours of release.

The whole situation really has put a huge damage on the contest and it’s gonna take a lot to bring it back (but the ever hopeful optimist in me still hopes it can). Those NY Times revelations, while they’re not wildly shocking, are really upsetting. The lengths that they have gone to to keep them around is worse than indifference, it’s an active campaign of support. Really gross.

5 hours ago, Liаm said:

I definitely think Israel wins, viewing and voting numbers will tank obviously with even fans not arsed and whole countries not even showing the contest and if they got as close as they did last year under “normal” circumstances, it’s easy for it to happen with less “normal” votes to contend with.

Even if get they banned for cheating (which they wont, they’ll be allowed to continue doing as they want just like they have been), I think bridges have been burned with some of the countries who have withdrawn and then you’ve got Germany and Italy who have threatened to go to if Israel is banned. So I don’t think the contest recovers whichever way the wind blows, the damage is done but the life support plug is getting pulled when they win. And I’m not surprised and I’m not even upset about it, as Tim said the whole Joost thing was really the day the contest died, at least the beginning of the end, and this feels like the end.

at this point, i'm actively hoping that israel wins the whole contest and makes ebu deal with it. last two years made me fall out from the biggest passion i've ever had which was eurovision, and it's not even a boycott at this point. i just don't feel the excitement that i used to.

let them win and see how everything unfolds. i couldn't care less!