'Israel' at risk of expulsion from Eurovision as November vote looms
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Broadcasters will vote in early November on whether "Israel" can take part in Eurovision 2026 amid growing calls for exclusion over the war on Gaza.
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A Eurovision flag blows in the wind beside a memorial with Swiss national personification Helvetia at the start of the Eurovision Song Contest week in Basel, Switzerland, Monday, May 12, 2025 (AP)
National broadcasters will hold a vote in "early November" regarding "Israel's" participation in Eurovision, as confirmed to POLITICO by a spokesperson for the song contest.
A growing band of countries, including Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands, has threatened to boycott the 2026 edition if "Israel" is allowed to take part, citing the Israeli war on Gaza and the worsening humanitarian crisis it has caused.
The European Broadcasting Union's (EBU) executive board has sent a letter to the director generals of all member broadcasters to inform them about the vote on "Israel" taking part in 2026.
The EBU has been in talks with its members about "Israel’s" participation since the issue was raised at a meeting of national broadcasters in London in June, a situation reminiscent of the controversy that overshadowed last year's competition.
Despite the contest having long proclaimed that it is "non-political", the European Broadcasting Union banned Russia from the competition in 2022 following the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
Israeli broadcaster KAN confirmed earlier this month that it is still preparing to select "Israel’s" representative for the contest in Vienna this May, asserting that it should continue to participate and that the event must remain a non-political celebration of music.
Growing 'Israel' opposition momentum
On September 16, Spain's public broadcaster RTVE officially announced that it will boycott the Eurovision 2026 Song Contest if "Israel" is allowed to take part, a move that makes Spain the first of the competition's major contributors to commit to a boycott.
According to a report from Anadolu a few days ago, Ireland and Slovenia have also signaled that they would withdraw from the contest if the Israeli occupation is allowed to participate. On September 12, RTV Slovenija, the national broadcaster, declared that Slovenia will also boycott Eurovision 2026 if "Israel" competes, framing the move as an act of solidarity with Palestine.
In a statement published on September 11, Irish public broadcaster RTÉ announced that Dublin will not participate in Eurovision 2026 if "Israel" is allowed entry, describing the participation as unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza.
