- The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) approved Israel’s participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, despite objections from some member broadcasters over the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
- Public broadcasters from Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia have officially announced they will withdraw from Eurovision 2026 in protest of Israel’s inclusion.
- Broadcasters cited the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the loss of civilian lives, as well as concerns over Israel allegedly using the contest for political purposes.
- Meanwhile, Germany indicated it would withdraw if Israel were excluded.
- Israel faced allegations of manipulating votes in previous contests, particularly regarding Israel’s previous contestant, Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, placed second despite low jury scores.
Israel Cleared to Participate in Eurovision, Four Countries Withdraw in Protest
