Europe’s public broadcasters met Thursday at EBU headquarters to decide whether Israel will be allowed to compete in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, as several countries threaten to boycott if Israel remains in the competition.
Core of the Dispute
Critics accuse Israel of breaking Eurovision’s strict no-politics rule and claim organised voting blocs unfairly pushed its 2025 entry (which finished second) to a high placing. The Dutch broadcaster went further, citing Gaza media restrictions and alleged vote manipulation.
New Voting Rules Proposed
To restore trust, the EBU plans major changes for 2026:
- Public votes limited to 10 per person (down from 20)
- Professional juries return to semi-finals with 50% weighting
If members reject these fixes as insufficient, a direct vote on banning Israel could follow.
Growing Divide Among Broadcasters
- Boycott camp: Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands ready to withdraw
- Pro-Israel camp: Germany and host Austria insist Israel must stay
German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer declared: “Eurovision cannot happen without Israel.”
Gaza War Casts Long Shadow
The debate is inseparable from the ongoing conflict, which began after the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis. Gaza health authorities report over 70,000 Palestinian deaths since then.
Israel’s 2025 singer Yuval Raphael survived the Nova festival massacre.
Israeli broadcaster KAN says it is fully preparing for Vienna 2026 and will fight any exclusion attempt at the Geneva meeting.
The outcome of this week’s closed-door talks will decide whether Eurovision — watched by 160 million people faces its biggest crisis in decades.
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