The Swiss singer who won Eurovision 2024 has announced they are returning their trophy as the crisis grows over a decision to allow Israel to compete in next year’s contest.

Nemo became the first non-binary artist to win the contest after performing a drum-and-bass, opera, rap and rock tune titled The Code, about their journey of self-discovery.

But in a social media post this week, the singer said Israel’s continued participation was in conflict with Eurovision’s stated values, claiming it had repeatedly used the contest “to soften the image of a state accused of severe wrongdoing”.

“And even though I’m immensely grateful for the community around this contest and everything this experience has taught me as a person and artist, today I no longer feel this trophy belongs on my shelf,” Nemo wrote on Instagram.

“Eurovision says it stands for unity, inclusion, and dignity for all. Those values made this contest meaningful to me.

“But Israel’s participation, during what the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry has concluded to be a genocide, shows a clear conflict between those ideals and the decisions made by the EBU (European Broadcasting Union).”

Six countries have already announced they won’t take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, set to be held in Vienna, after the EBU cleared Israel to take part.

On Thursday (Australian time), Iceland became the fifth country to withdraw, following earlier announcements from  Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia.

“It is clear from the public debate in this country and the reaction to the EBU’s decision last week that there will be neither joy nor peace regarding RUV’s participation,” said Stefan Eiriksson, director-general of Iceland’s public broadcaster RUV.

Iceland – which came second in the contest in 1999 and 2009 – was among the countries that had requested a vote last week on ‍Israel’s participation.

However, the EBU decided not to call a vote, saying it had instead passed rules aimed at discouraging governments from influencing the contest.

The issue has sharply divided participants in the competition that has a history of entanglement in national rivalries, international issues and political voting.

Following the EBU’s decision on Israel, Irish broadcaster RTE said it felt its participation in Eurovision “was unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk”.

In an open letter to fans of the contest published on the Eurovision website overnight, contest director Martin Green acknowledged the backlash, saying he knew many people were feeling “strong emotions”.

“I also know you feel strongly about events in the Middle East and how those realities connect to the Eurovision Song Contest. No one can fail to be moved by what we have seen in the region in the past few years.

“Some of you have written to us, spoken out, or expressed anger and pain at what they see as silence in the face of tragedy.

“I want to say that we hear you. We understand why you feel so strongly and that we care too.”

Nonetheless, Green said that although many fans wanted the contest to “take a defined position on geo-political events”, Eurovision had to be guided by its rules.

Eurovision reaches around 160 million viewers, and broadcasters from 34 countries have signalled their intention to compete in Eurovision 2026 – including SBS in Australia.

Israel was at the centre of controversy this year over accusations that it manipulated the public to vote for its entrant, Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the October 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas. Raphael ended up coming second overall.

In his latest statement, Green insisted Eurovision would ensure all participating broadcasters followed the rules of the competition in 2026.