Eurovision song contest to vote on Israel's participation
With growing calls for Israel's exclusion from the Eurovision Song Contest amid the Gaza conflict, a pivotal vote by the European Broadcasting Union in November could change the future of the competition.
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The future of Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest will be determined in November, as the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) prepares to put the matter to a vote among its 68 member countries.
The move comes in response to growing calls from broadcasters and governments across Europe for Israel’s exclusion due to the ongoing war in Gaza.
Political tensions have overshadowed the competition’s reputation as a cultural celebration. Broadcasters from Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland and Spain have threatened to withdraw if Israel remains in the contest.
Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ described participation as “unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza”.
The Dutch network Avrotros echoed this sentiment, saying it could no longer justify Israel’s inclusion “given the ongoing and severe human suffering in Gaza”.
Meanwhile, Austria’s foreign minister urged restraint, writing to several European counterparts to reconsider threats of a boycott. “Excluding Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest or boycotting the event would neither ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza nor contribute to finding a sustainable political solution,” Beate Meinl-Reisinger said.
At its upcoming general assembly, the EBU will invite all member broadcasters, including non-participating nations such as Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, Jordan and Lebanon, to cast their vote.
A simple majority will decide the outcome: if more than half back exclusion, Israel will not compete in the 2026 contest.
Israel’s involvement in Eurovision has become increasingly contentious
The country’s entry, Yuval Raphael, secured the largest public vote in May’s contest, finishing second overall after jury scores propelled Austria to victory. The 2026 event is set to take place in Vienna.
Israel’s broadcaster Kan has strongly opposed the calls for exclusion, stressing that the country has long been one of Eurovision’s most successful and popular participants.
A spokesperson warned that banning Israel ahead of the 70th edition would undermine the contest’s founding values of “unity, solidarity and fellowship”.
As the EBU prepares to put the issue to a vote, the outcome may reshape the future of Eurovision, a contest designed to transcend politics but now caught in the heart of one of the world’s most divisive conflicts.
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