In recent weeks, Europe has been overwhelmed by an increasing opposition to Israel. The UN Commission has just accused this country of genocide in the Gaza Strip. The Spanish Prime Minister called for this country to exclude this country from international sporting events. The Belgian festival ruled out an Israeli conductor, and more and more countries are demanding the removal of Israel from the flagship music competition.
Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands have already threatened with a boycott of Eurovision, and recently Iceland signaled that it could withdraw from the competition if Israel takes part in it. These countries refer to the genocide in the Gaza Strip, as well as to limit the freedom of the press and the murder of journalists. The future of Eurovision has just been questioned.
Europe is struggling with the question of whether bans about Israeli artists and athletes are justified. Some EU governments recognize them as a proportional response to the situation in the Gaza Strip. Other authorities of Europe, Israeli officials and Jewish organizations warn against crossing the border of anti -Semitism.
Although Eurovision will not take place only in May in Vienna, the self -styled “apolitical” competition – organized by the European Union Broadcasting Union, EBU) Public Media Alliance brings together 113 members from 56 countries – it is overshadowed by controversy related to Israel's participation.
Continued article under video material
In a statement, the Eurovision Director Martin Green said that the organization “continues to consult” with EBU members on the method of “managing participation and geopolitical tensions around the Eurovision Song Contest”.
“We understand the fears and deeply rooted views on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East,” he said.
According to one of the experts dealing with the competition, the effects of these tensions are currently the most serious threat to Eurovision throughout its history.
UN: Israel is committing genocide
“There were many moments when EBU sometimes struggled with the problem of consistency in enforcing the rules,” said Paul Jordan, a longtime Eurovision expert, also known as Dr. Eurovision.
“But the current situation is unprecedented. For the first time a group of countries said that they would not take part in the competition because of another country … I think that this is probably the most serious challenge that Eurovision faced,” he warned.
On Tuesday, September 16, Spain joined the group of countries that joined the rebellion. Most of the members of the board of Spanish public television RTVE voted for withdrawing from next year's edition of Eurovision, if Israel is allowed to participate.
The threat of a boycott on the part of Spain is the latest blow in the escalating conflict between Madrid and Israel. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar clash in the matter of sanctions, an embargo for weapons and propaledic protests.
This move – taken the same morning, in which the UN Commission stated that Israel committed genocide in the Gaza Strip – it will cause a crisis in the EBU, because Spain is one of the five largest contribution payers for the Public Season Association, which automatically guarantees its place in the Eurovision final.
Gaza, September 14, 2025Ali Dyallah / Anadol Via Getty Images / Contributor / Getty Images
If Israel is allowed to participate in next year's 70th edition of the competition, Spain for the first time since the debut in 1961 will not take part in the final.
Israeli public television KAN said that the country is preparing to participate in the competition in May next year and “meticulously warns the rules of the competition and will continue to do so”.
The Minister of Culture and Sport of Israel Miki Zohar said that the threat of withdrawing from the competition from many countries are “a shameful and hypocritical step, which is contrary to the values of the competition and the spirit of the bond, which is at its foundation.”
The future of Eurovision in question
According to the Ministry of Health, the Gaza Zone as a result of the Israeli offensive died over 64,000. Palestinians. UN agencies and independent experts recognize the ministry's data on victims as generally credible. Detangle began after on October 7, 2023, Hamas fighters killed about 1 thousand. 200 people on the territory of Israel and took about 250 hostages to the Gaza Strip.
Avrotros Dutch public television expressed on Friday that the Israeli government interfered in this year's competition and used it “as a political instrument”. Israel took first place in the voting of viewers in the competition in 2025, which caused questions from some other countries regarding possible manipulation of the voting system.
EBU is conducting intensive talks with its members about Israel's participation in the competition in 2026, since this issue was raised during the meeting of national broadcasters in London in June.
Director Green said that the decision to participate in the competition belongs to each EBU member, and the deadline for confirming participation in next year's edition expires in mid -December.
The broadcasters will meet at the next General Meeting of the EBU in Geneva on December 4 and 5, where they will be able to vote on Israel's participation in the competition. Some of them supported the current EBU position, according to which the competition should remain apolitical.
According to Politico, the German organization of ARD regional broadcasters will support each EBU decision. The general director of British public television said this week that Eurovision “never concerned politics” and it is EBU that decides who participates in it.
Nevertheless, in 2022, EBU excluded Russia from the competition in connection with the full invasion of this country to Ukraine.
The Eurovision Expert Jordan, who also worked for three years in the communication team of the music competition, warns that EBU is currently balancing on the border on Israel, and before us “a few tense months” that can “lead to the breakup of the competition.”
“I think that the beauty of Eurovision and the reason why it lasts so long is that it is an integration space. I think it would be a great harm if it became a political football,” he said.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
