Nemo Returns Eurovision Trophy Over Israel’s Participation Amid Gaza Conflict

Swiss artist Nemo, winner of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, has announced they are returning their trophy to protest Israel’s continued participation in the competition. The 26-year-old non-binary singer expressed disappointment with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), arguing that allowing Israel to compete contradicts Eurovision’s values of unity, inclusion, and dignity. In an Instagram statement, Nemo cited a United Nations report that described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and said this made it impossible to keep the trophy in good conscience.

Eurovision’s director, Martin Green, responded that the organization was saddened by Nemo’s decision but respected their views. The move comes amid broader controversy, as five countries—Iceland, Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands—have announced boycotts of the 2026 contest due to Israel’s inclusion. The situation has become one of the most significant crises in Eurovision history, with allegations that Israel attempted to influence votes and that the organizing body failed to protect participants from political pressure.

Nemo, who made history as the first non-binary winner with the song “The Code,” emphasized that their protest targets institutions, not individual artists. They criticized Eurovision for being used to “soften the image” of a state accused of severe wrongdoing. The 2026 contest is scheduled to take place in Vienna, marking Eurovision’s 70th anniversary, though tensions over Israel’s participation remain high. The war in Gaza, triggered by Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel, has led to tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza according to local health authorities.