Eurovision Star Sparks Controversy with Anti-Israel Social Media Post

Justyna Steczkowska, the Polish singer-songwriter who represented her country at Eurovision in 1995 and 2025, is promoting a harsh anti-Israel book on her Instagram account. As reported by the EuroMix website, the singer shared a video with her approximately 400,000 followers featuring the Polish edition of 'The Palestine Laboratory' by Jewish-Australian author Antony Loewenstein, urging them to read it to 'open their eyes.'

'This is a difficult but important read about the world we live in,' Steczkowska wrote. 'It is worth reading the book to better understand the current reality, to open your eyes and be aware of how our shared world is not one-sided.'

The book, which won the Walkley Award for journalism in 2023 and was adapted into a documentary series on Al Jazeera, presents the claim that Israel’s long-standing control in the West Bank and Gaza is utilized for the development, testing, and marketing of weapons, cyber warfare, and surveillance systems. Loewenstein argues that these technologies are tested on the Palestinian population before being sold globally under the 'battle-tested' label.

The book also attacks Israel’s network of security and political alliances with over 130 countries, linking historical ties with apartheid-era South Africa and Pinochet’s Chile to contemporary relations with India and the military junta in Myanmar. According to the author, these defense exports are intended to secure diplomatic immunity for Israel against international criticism.

Steczkowska’s decision to promote the book aligns with her previously stated position, having publicly declared that she would not return to participate in Eurovision as long as Israel remains part of the competition.