Boycotts as Eurovision clears Israel to compete

Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands will boycott next year’s Eurovision after Israel was given the all-clear to compete in the 2026 song contest despite calls by several participating broadcasters for its exclusion over the war in Gaza.

- Philip Oltermann Lisa O'Carroll

No vote on Israel’s participation was held yesterday at the general assembly of the European Broadcasting Union, the body that organises the hugely popular international annual singing competition.

Instead, participating broadcasters voted only to introduce new rules designed to stop governments and third parties from disproportionately promoting songs to influence voters.

The EBU said in a statement: “A large majority of members agreed that there was no need for a further vote on participation and that the Eurovision song contest 2026 should proceed as planned, with the additional safeguards in place." In response, the Irish national broadcaster, RTÉ, said it "would not participate in the 2026 Eurovision song contest" or broadcast the competition.

"RTÉ feels that Ireland's participation remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk." The Spanish national broadcaster, RTVE, also said it would not broadcast the contest or the semi-finals in Vienna next year, describing the process of decision-making as "insufficient" and engendering "distrust".