Organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest have responded to the numerous countries that have announced they will boycott the 2026 competition if Israel is allowed to participate, considering its ongoing genocide in Gaza. Ireland was the first country to publicly announce it would withdraw from Eurovision over Israel’s involvement, with RTÉ releasing an official statement on September 11.

The national broadcaster stated that “Ireland’s participation would be unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza.” RTÉ also expressed concerns over the “targeted killing of journalists, the denial of international media access, and the continuing plight of hostages in the region.”

Soon after, other European countries announced their own Eurovision boycotts, with the Netherlands and Slovenia also taking a stance against Israel’s involvement. Today, September 16, Spain has also announced a boycott, becoming the first of the so-called Big Five (which also includes France, Germany, Italy, and the UK) to make such a decision.

A spokesperson from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) responded to the mass boycott, stating that they “understand the concerns and deeply-held views around the ongoing conflict” held by countries who have announced their withdrawal, but that “no decisions” have been made regarding Israel’s participation. They stated that EBU members are still gathering “views on how we manage participation and geopolitical tensions around the Eurovision Song Contest.”

The statement added: “Broadcasters have until mid-December to confirm if they wish to take part in next year’s event in Vienna. It is up to each Member to decide if they want to take part in the Contest and we would respect any decision broadcasters make.”

Reports surfaced over the weekend that the EBU had given Israel a choice to either withdraw temporarily from this year’s competition or to participate under a neutral flag. However, EBU told The Hollywood Reporter this was false.

“The EBU has not made any proposals to (Israeli broadcaster) Kan regarding participation in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest,” a spokesperson said. “The consultation with the wider EBU membership is ongoing and no decisions will be made until the process concludes.”

The last two editions of the Eurovision have received widespread condemnation and faced boycotts from viewers over Israel’s participation. This is not the first time that the contest has had to take into account geopolitical considerations, as Russia has been excluded from the Eurovision since 2022 over its invasion of Ukraine.

Over 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, 2023, and a “worst-case scenario famine” has also been declared in Gaza due to an aid blockade imposed by Israel. An independent UN commission has recently concluded that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians, as the nation has launched its ground invasion in Gaza City.

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