Eurovision Faces Boycott by Several Countries Over Israel’s Continued Participation
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Several countries have chosen to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest after it was announced that Israel would once again be allowed to participate in the event next year despite the country’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Countries Boycott Eurovision Over Israel’s Participation
It was reported on Thursday that four countries — Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain — will be boycotting the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest after it was decided that Israel would once again be allowed to compete.
According to the BBC, a number of countries had called for Israel’s exclusion from the competition, due to both the genocide in Gaza as well as accusations of unfair voting practices after the country came in first place in the public vote this year. Israel finished in second place overall, behind Austria, after the jury votes were considered.
In a statement, Ireland’s RTÉ said that Israel’s “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.”
The BBC reports that Belgium and Sweden were considering their participation in the contest following Thursday’s decision, but ultimately confirmed that they would stay in the competition. Iceland will reportedly not confirm its participation until a board meeting next week.
Meanwhile, Finland’s decision is apparently dependent on Eurovision guaranteeing a “large number” of participants, explaining, “The costs for participating organizations must not increase unreasonably.”
SEE ALSO: EUROVISION TEASES STAGE FOR 2024 SONG CONTEST
Spain, Slovenia, Ireland and the Netherlands are boycotting Eurovision in response.
— Owen Jones (@owenjonesjourno) December 4, 2025
Britain must boycott Eurovision, too.
Russia was rightly booted out in 2022.
Israel has committed genocide.
If Israel isn't booted out, then Eurovision will be ruined instead. https://t.co/mZjnSOM9Ij
Russia Was Banned from Participating in 2022
During a meeting of the European Broadcasting Union in Geneva on Thursday, a “large majority” of members reportedly agreed that there was no need for a further vote on participation in the 2026 contest.
Eurovision director Martin Green said that members had been given an “opportunity to debate” Israel’s participation, adding, “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.”
However, critics of the EBU’s decision have pointed out that Russia was banned from participating in the contest in 2022 due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine — who went on to win the competition. The 2023 contest was held in the UK on Ukraine’s behalf due to the ongoing Russian invasion.
