Tel Aviv is pouring hundreds of millions into its Hasbara propaganda machine in an effort to reverse its reputational freefall
May 11, 2026
Public broadcasters from Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia announced on 11 May that they will not air this week’s Eurovision Song Contest in protest of Israel’s participation.
“For the next 10 days, instead of the Eurovision circus, the national television program will be colored by the thematic program series ‘Voices of Palestine,’” Slovenian broadcaster RTV said.
Featured documentaries and films will include Gaza Twins, Come Back to Me, No Other Land, The Voice of Hind Rajab, and The Teacher.
Public broadcasters in Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia announced on Monday that they will not air this week’s Eurovision Song Contest, joining a boycott of the event due to Israel’s participation.
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) May 11, 2026
Slovenian broadcaster RTV said, "For the next 10 days, instead of the Eurovision… pic.twitter.com/2TC42wIx9Y
The broadcaster will also air a special episode examining the political and ethical debate around Eurovision, including the contest’s voting system and arguments for and against the boycott.
Ireland’s RTE will air a comedy show instead, while Spain will broadcast a special musical program during the contest, which begins on Tuesday in Vienna.
Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia have now joined The Netherlands and Iceland in boycotting the contest over the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) decision to allow Israel to participate, as Tel Aviv’s global reputation continues to plummet over the ongoing genocide in Gaza and its continual crimes against humanity.
A recent New York Times (NYT) investigation found that Israel ran a coordinated, multi-year campaign to turn Eurovision into a soft-power tool, spending at least $1 million on marketing, including funds from Netanyahu’s Hasbara office, while Israeli embassies pressured European broadcasters to keep Tel Aviv in the contest.
How Israel Hijacked Eurovision
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 11, 2026
A New York Times investigation reveals that Israel ran a coordinated, multi-year campaign to turn Eurovision into a soft-power tool; spending at least $1 million on Eurovision marketing, including funds from PM Netanyahu's "hasbara" propaganda… pic.twitter.com/9iMG7K8i4i
This broader reputation freefall comes as Israeli officials pour roughly $730 million into Hasbara, the state’s global propaganda machine, in a desperate attempt to reverse the collapse of Israel’s cultural and diplomatic standing.
The spending push includes mass digital outreach, foreign delegation trips, influencer campaigns, AI-driven targeting, and coordinated efforts to suppress dissenting content, including material exposing the scale of Israeli war crimes.
Analysts say Israel’s massive propaganda spending is unlikely to reverse the damage, as global anger is driven by its genocide, apartheid policies, and military conduct rather than poor messaging.
Communication scholar Nicholas Cull said public diplomacy can only help “on the margins,” because people form their views based on “the actual policies, not how well you sell those policies.”
Despite the massive efforts, Israel’s reputation continues to collapse in the US, where nearly 60 percent of citizens now view it unfavorably as younger demographics, opposition to Netanyahu, and economic pressure from the US-Israeli war on Iran drive a sharp shift in public opinion.
Published at thecradle.co
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