Eurovision 2026 Israel Controversy
Eurovision Faces Controversy Over Israel’s Participation Amid Gaza Conflict
The Eurovision Song Contest, known for its strict political neutrality, is under scrutiny this year due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the contest, announced that a vote on the participation of Israel’s public broadcaster, KAN, will take place at an extraordinary online meeting of the EBU General Assembly in early November. Only EBU member public service broadcasters are eligible to participate, and KAN is the sole member representing Israel.
KAN has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung reported that EBU members received a letter from EBU president Delphine Ernotte-Cunci about the upcoming vote. The letter, a screenshot of which was published by the newspaper, explained that the executive board could not reach a consensus on KAN’s involvement.
“Given that the Union has never faced a divisive situation like this before, the Board agreed that this question merited a broader democratic basis for a decision,” Ernotte-Cunci wrote, a statement the EBU later confirmed.
Earlier this month, Spain’s state broadcaster RTVE voted to withdraw from the 2026 contest, scheduled for May in Vienna, should Israel participate. Spain is the fifth country to make such a pledge, following the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland, and Ireland. It is also the first of the so-called “Big Five” – which includes Britain, Germany, Italy, and France – that automatically qualify for Eurovision’s final round.
Several other countries had called on the EBU to bar Israel from the 2025 contest, and Austrian singer JJ, this year’s winner, has publicly supported excluding Israel from the 2026 event.
The controversy comes in the wake of a September report by a United Nations Commission of Inquiry, which concluded that Israel committed genocide in Gaza – claims Israel has strongly denied.
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