Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia will boycott the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, after Israel was allowed to compete. They were among a number of countries who had called for Israel to be excluded over the war in Gaza, as well as accusations of unfair voting practices. Spanish broadcaster RTVE led calls for a secret ballot on the issue at a meeting in Geneva. It said organizers denied that request — a decision that "increased [our] distrust of the festival's organization". Ireland's RTE said it felt that its "participation remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk." Spain is one of Eurovision's "Big Five" countries along with France, Germany, Italy and the UK. Their artists are allowed straight into the final, as their broadcasters provide the largest financial contribution to the EBU. Approximately 50 broadcasters, including the BBC, attended a meeting of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) on Thursday to discuss the future of the contest, which is watched by more than 150 million people each year. They were asked to back new rules intended to discourage governments and third parties from organising voting campaigns for their acts, after allegations that Israel unfairly boosted its entrant, Yuval Raphael, this year. BBC News understands that voting to accept those measures was tied to a clause whereby members agreed not to proceed with a vote on Israel's participation. "This vote means that all EBU Members who wish to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 and agree to comply with the new rules are eligible to take part," the EBU said. Martin Green, director of the Eurovision Song Contest, said he was "pleased" that members had been 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, it must retain some sense of neutrality." Israel's President Isaac Herzog praised the decision to allow the country to compete, calling it "an appreciated gesture of solidarity, brotherhood, and co-operation, symbolising a victory over those who seek to silence Israel and spread hatred". He said he was "glad that Israel will participate again in Eurovision and I hope that the competition will remain one that sanctifies culture, poetry, and friendship between peoples and cross-border cultural understanding". He added that Israel "deserves to be represented on every stage in the world, and I am fully and actively committed to that". The CEO of Israel's broadcaster, KAN, said the attempt to disqualify its entry "can only be understood as a cultural boycott. "A boycott may begin today - with Israel - but no-one knows where it will end or who else it may harm," said Golan Yochpaz. "Is this what we truly want this contest to be remembered for on its 70th anniversary?" The BBC, which broadcasts Eurovision in the UK, said in a statement: "We support the collective decision made by members of the EBU. This is about enforcing the rules of the EBU and being inclusive." However, the decision has exposed a deep rift in the Eurovision community. In a statement, Dutch broadcaster Avrotros said that "participation under the current circumstances is incompatible with the public values that are essential to us". Spanish broadcaster RTVE added: "The board of directors of RTVE agreed last September that Spain would withdraw from Eurovision if Israel was part of it." "This withdrawal also means that RTVE will not broadcast the Eurovision 2026 final... nor the preliminary semi-finals." Slovenia's broadcaster RTV added that their position also "remains unchanged". "The recent rule changes do not alter our view. As a public service broadcaster, RTV Slovenia is committed to upholding ethical principles and expects that equal rules and standards apply to all EBU members and all participating countries." Belgium's broadcaster said it would "take a position in the coming days". Those who approved of the changes included Nordic broadcasters from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland who issued a joint statement saying they "supported" the EBU's decision to "address critical shortcomings" in the voting system. Despite that, Iceland's RÚV said it would not make a final decision on its participation until next week. Germany, which had threatened to leave the contest if Israel was removed, also welcomed Thursday's decision. Its broadcaster ARD said it was "looking forward to participating" next year, "embracing it as a celebration of cultural diversity and solidarity". It added: "At the same time, we deeply regret the decisions of individual EBU members to withdraw from the ESC 2026 but, of course, respect the choices made by the respective broadcasters." — BBC
