Israel’s participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest was confirmed by the European Broadcasting Union on Thursday. In response, four nations—Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia—withdrew from the 2026 competition, citing the humanitarian effects of the Gaza War and a “loss” of neutrality. Ireland’s broadcaster, RTÉ, declared that it was “unconscionable” to compete in the 2026 edition because of the “humanitarian situation” in Gaza and the high death toll there.
According to Taco Zimmerman, CEO of AVROTROS, the Dutch broadcaster, “Culture unifies, but not at any expense.” “What transpired at the EBU Assembly demonstrates that Eurovision is not a song contest but a festival governed by geopolitical interests,” stated José Pablo López, president of Spain’s broadcaster, RTVE.The president of Slovenia’s broadcaster, Radiotelevizija Slovenija, Natalija Gorňak, stated that the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was “not a true” one because of continuous losses. In the meantime, Icelandic broadcaster RÚV pondered if Iceland ought to enter the 2026 competition. Politico claims that the four withdrawals caused significant unrest; CNN pointed out that Spain is one of the “Big Five,” which are the competition’s top five financial producers.
The departures were the biggest “upheaval” in the Eurovision Song Contest, according to Newsweek. Additionally, according to the broadcaster for Radiotelevizija Slovenija, they, along with Spain, the Netherlands, Montenegro, Turkey, Algeria, and Iceland, asked for a secret vote, but it was not conducted. Rather, Geneva officials enacted new regulations that prevent states from influencing the outcomes.
