Israel’s participation in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest will be discussed on Thursday (4 December), as the organising body, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) meet in Geneva to consider whether the country can compete amid threats from some nations to withdraw over the ongoing Gaza war.
The meeting will also address new rules designed to discourage governments from disproportionately promoting songs to influence voting, following allegations that Israel unfairly boosted its entrant this year.
Israel, which finished second in the 2023 contest, has not responded to the accusations but has claimed it is the target of a global smear campaign.
Eurovision expert Paul Jordan described the situation as a "watershed moment," with public broadcasters from Slovenia, Ireland, Spain, and the Netherlands threatening to boycott the May 2026 event in Austria if Israel is allowed to compete.
Critics cite the high Palestinian death toll in Gaza, as a key reason for opposition.
The EBU stated that if members are not convinced the new neutrality rules are adequate, a vote on Israel’s participation will follow.
Germany’s Minister of State for Culture, Wolfram Weimer, expressed strong support for Israel, stating that Germany should not participate if Israel is excluded.
“Israel belongs in the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC),” he said.
“There must be no ESC without Israel,” he added.
Austrian broadcaster ORF also supports Israel’s participation, while German broadcaster ARD has not commented.
Israeli public broadcaster KAN is preparing for the 2026 contest and will soon announce changes to its selection process. KAN also plans to present its stance on possible disqualification during Thursday's meeting.
Melting glaciers, recurring droughts and dust storms are putting growing pressure on Central Asia’s water resources, agriculture and public h...
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says 3.7 million children in Afghanistan are suffering from acute malnutrition, as worsening drou...
Jensen Huang’s abrupt resignation as Nvidia’s chief executive has rattled global technology markets, sent Chinese AI stocks tumbling an...
European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence and energy high on the agenda. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held talks focused on peace, trade and regional cooperation.
Iran will not let a single particle of its enriched nuclear material leave the country, and any new U.S. attack would be met with strikes on distant American bases, Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei has said.
Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang is stepping down amid reports linking him to a woman suspected by U.S. authorities of spying for China, throwing the future of the $4 trillion chipmaker into uncertainty.
Four million workers across Spain joined a general strike on Wednesday over the country’s deepening housing crisis, unions said, bringing disruption to factories, ports, shops and public transport just weeks before a snap general election.
Kazakhstan’s security service has arrested Nurlan Zhakupov, CEO of Samruk-Kazyna, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, on suspicion of corruption. Yelzhas Otynshiyev, Chairman of KTZ, Kazakhstan’s national railway firm has also been detained.
At just 25, Azerbaijani actor Eldar Isgandarov is making his mark on the international film scene, with roles in three A24-linked projects and appearances at major film festivals. His rising profile is also shining a spotlight on his Azerbaijani roots.
Turkmenistan has secured its first entry in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register, following the approval of a historical collection documenting the life and work of Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Adham.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced that its 2027 Costume Institute exhibition and Met Gala will explore how designers transform everyday clothing and ordinary materials into works of art.
Australia has returned two ancient stone statue heads to China, more than 30 years after they were taken from imperial tombs in central China.
Uzbekistan is launching a new fashion academy in Tashkent to help local clothing manufacturers build their own brands, sharpen design skills and compete in international markets.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment