Israel cleared to stay in Eurovision; Spain, Ireland and others quit in protest

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Israel cleared to stay in Eurovision; Spain, Ireland and others quit in protest

By Olivia Le Poidevin, Klaus Lauer, Johnny Cotton and Cecile Mantovani
December 4, 2025 10:25 PM EST Updated 1 hour ago

GENEVA, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Israel was cleared on Thursday to enter the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest by the organiser, prompting Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia to withdraw over the Gaza war and plunging the competition into one of the biggest rows in its history.

The broadcasters who had threatened to boycott the event cited the death count in Gaza and accused Israel of flouting rules meant to guard the contest's neutrality. Israel accuses its critics of mounting a global smear campaign against it.

After a meeting in Geneva, the European Broadcasting Union, or EBU, decided not to call a vote on Israel's participation, saying it had instead passed new rules aimed at discouraging governments from influencing the contest.

Right after that announcement by the contest organiser, the Dutch, Spanish, Irish and Slovenian broadcasters said they would withdraw, meaning singers from their countries would not compete in the contest that draws millions of viewers worldwide.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/national-broadcasters-consider-israel-eurovision-participation-amid-boycott-2025-12-04/

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Israel ruins everything.

[Mosby]

2. Antisemitism ruins everything.

Fixed it for you.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Criticizing the state of Israel is no more anti-semantic than criticizing the USA is un-patriotic.

[DFW]

4. If that was meant as a joke

It was a pretty good one!!

[Aussie105]

5. The problem is . . .

Eurovision doesn't want to be seen as being political.

Some countries interpret that as assuming it is business as usual, when it is anything but that.

Might be smart for Israel to bow out of the event and avoid any troubles during the Eurovision spectacular.