Israel cleared to stay in Eurovision; Spain, Ireland and others quit in protest

Israel was cleared on Thursday to participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, a decision made by the organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which sparked a major controversy.

Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia subsequently withdrew from the competition in protest over the Gaza conflict, making the event one of the most contentious in Eurovision's history.

The broadcasters who had threatened to boycott the event cited the high death toll in Gaza and accused Israel of violating the contest’s neutrality rules. Israel, in turn, accused its critics of conducting a global smear campaign against the country.

After a meeting in Geneva, the EBU decided not to hold a vote on Israel's participation. Instead, it introduced new rules aimed at discouraging government interference in the contest.

Following the EBU's announcement, broadcasters from the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia confirmed they would withdraw, meaning their artists would no longer compete in the globally televised contest, which draws millions of viewers worldwide.

Ben Robertson, a Eurovision expert from the fan website ESC Insight, commented that the contest's integrity was at an all-time low. "Never in the history of the contest have we had such a vote, and such a split, between the member broadcasters of the European Broadcasting Union," he remarked.

Both the Israeli government and opposition leaders celebrated the decision to include Israel, with Golan Yochpaz, CEO of Israeli broadcaster KAN, comparing the efforts to exclude Israel to a "cultural boycott." Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the countries that withdrew, calling them a "disgrace" on X (formerly Twitter).

Ireland calls participation 'unconscionable'

Eurovision, which has been held since 1956 and is watched by around 160 million viewers according to the EBU—more than the 128 million who tuned in for this year’s Super Bowl—has been no stranger to political entanglements and national rivalries.

Israel’s participation has long been divisive. Yuval Raphael, Israel's 2025 entrant, was at the Nova music festival during the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, which sparked the Gaza war. The attack resulted in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken, while over 70,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began, according to local health authorities.

Irish broadcaster RTE stated that "Ireland’s participation remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the ongoing humanitarian crisis, which continues to put so many civilians at risk."

Spanish state broadcaster RTVE's head, Jose Pablo Lopez, expressed on X that "What happened in the EBU Assembly confirms that Eurovision is not a song contest but a festival dominated by geopolitical interests and fractured."

RTV Slovenija, along with Spain, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Türkiye, Algeria, and Iceland, requested a secret vote on Israel’s participation, but this was not held. Iceland's public broadcaster RUV said its board would decide on Wednesday whether to participate in Eurovision 2026, which will be held in Vienna in May.

"I feel sad that other countries are not going to compete next year," said 33-year-old Eurovision fan Jurij Vlasov from Tel Aviv, noting that the Netherlands’ entry this year had been his favourite.

In Austria, which supported Israel’s inclusion, Eurovision fans welcomed the decision, while some in Spain expressed disappointment. "Why should the population, or a part of the population, not participate?" said Vienna resident Bernhard Kleemann. "If countries decide not to participate because they condemn the government and the prime minister, that’s their decision."

'Born from the ashes of the second world war'

Rather than voting on Israel’s participation, the EBU introduced new rules aimed at discouraging governments and external parties from using undue influence to sway voting. This decision followed allegations that Israel had unfairly promoted its 2025 entrant.

"All EBU Members who wish to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 and agree to comply with the new rules are eligible to take part," the EBU announced.

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog thanked the country's supporters, expressing hope that the song contest would continue to promote "culture, music, and friendship between nations."

Germany, a key Eurovision supporter, had indicated that it would withdraw if Israel was barred from the contest. Germany’s culture minister, Wolfram Weimer, told Bild newspaper that he welcomed the decision, stating, "Israel belongs to the Eurovision Song Contest like Germany belongs to Europe."

Martin Green, the contest’s director, remarked that EBU members were determined to uphold the neutrality of the competition. "Eurovision was born from the ashes of the Second World War," he said. "It was designed to bring us together, and it will hit bumps in the road. We live in a complicated world, but we hope this is a temporary situation, and we will move forward."

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