Four countries, including Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Slovenia, have pulled out of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest after it was decided Israel could compete. There are indications that more countries may follow.
Eurovision is organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), a group of public service media organisations. They had called for Israel to be excluded over the humanitarian toll of the war in Gaza.
However, EBU, in a statement issued on Thursday, December 4, said 68 of its members voted in a “secret ballot” on whether they were happy with the new measures. This means “that there was no need for a further vote on participation and that the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 should proceed as planned,” guaranteeing Israel’s participation.
Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, Mr. Martin Green said he is “pleased” that members were given an “opportunity to debate” Israel’s place in the contest before the vote.
“It was a full, frank and honest and quite moving debate, but as we can see from the emphatic result, they really came together on a belief that the Eurovision Song Contest shouldn’t be used as a political theatre,” Mr. Green said.
“It must retain some sense of neutrality,” he concluded.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog thanked “friends who stood up” for Israel, saying his country “deserves to be represented on every stage around the world.”
