International Desk (EFE).- The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) accepted Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026 on Thursday, leading to the immediate withdrawal of Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia, who had previously announced their intention to do so.
In addition to Iceland, these countries confirmed that they would withdraw from the 2025 edition of the musical contest if Israel were allowed to participate.
They wanted Israel excluded due to its human rights violations against Palestinians during the Gaza war.
At the EBU General Assembly meeting held in Geneva on Thursday, the union’s members, belonging to 68 public radio and television broadcasters from 56 countries, accepted a series of reforms that ensured Israel’s permanence.
The reforms, approved by a large majority of 738 votes, against 264 opposing votes and 120 abstentions, consist of reducing the viewers’ televotes (from 20 to 10), reinstating expert juries in semifinals, and technical improvements to strengthen security against fraud attempts and manipulations.
Voters were asked if they were satisfied with the proposed changes and if an additional vote on Israel’s participation was necessary.
A resounding majority expressed satisfaction with the reforms and that a vote on Israel was not necessary.
The vote was secret at the request of a group of countries, including Spain, according to sources close to the assembly.
The EBU’s decision prompted Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia to announce their withdrawal.
Iceland, another country that opposed Israel’s participation, has not yet commented. Belgium said it will decide whether to participate in the contest “in the coming days.”
“What happened at the EBU Assembly confirms that Eurovision is not a song contest but a festival dominated by geopolitical and fractured interests,” said the president of the Spanish public channel, RTVE, José Pablo López, in a message on X.
Meanwhile, the Irish channel RTÉ considers “that Ireland’s participation remains inadmissible given the terrible loss of life in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis that continues to endanger the lives of so many civilians.”
The harshest was the Dutch public broadcaster Avrotros, which warned that Israel’s continuity in the competition, despite accusations of political interference in recent editions of the festival, the restriction of press freedom, and the “humanitarian suffering” in Gaza, exceeds “the limits” it is willing to accept as a “public service.”
Political problems at Eurovision are not new, as the Slovenian public broadcaster RTV recalled when announcing its withdrawal from 2025’s edition.
“Our journalists were not allowed to enter Gaza, where over 200 people were killed, and they still aren’t.” Last year (2024), Israel’s performance was political. Remember when we banned a Russian singer from performing in Ukraine? In 2017, we opened Pandora’s box in Stockholm when a political song won. Since then, we have been dealing with politics in Eurovision.”
It remains to be known whether Iceland will withdraw as announced and whether Belgium will join the boycott against Israel.
Meanwhile, the host of the 2026 edition, Austria, affirmed that today (Thursday) in Geneva, “a decision was made as corresponds in democracy,” through a vote after debating and listening to all arguments.
The general director of ORF (Austria’s broadcasting network), Roland Weissmann, said upon leaving the EBU facilities in Geneva that the meeting was “a perfect sign of a healthy EBU. It was a strong signal that we are not divided, that we are united.”
Weissmann downplayed the absence of some countries and the financial hole this could represent.
The global audience will take note that four countries have announced they will not participate in the contest, which will be held in Vienna on May 16. These countries have also indicated that they will not broadcast the semifinals or the final. EFE
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