Eurovision Delays Vote on Israel’s 2026 Participation
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has postponed a crucial vote on whether Israel should be allowed to participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, following intense backlash from several countries and ongoing turmoil in the Middle East.
Originally scheduled for a virtual vote in November, the decision will now be discussed in person during the EBU’s Winter General Assembly in December. It’s unclear whether a formal vote will still happen.
In a statement, the EBU said: “In the light of recent developments in the Middle East, the EBU’s executive board... agreed there was a clear need to organise an open and in-person discussion among its members on the issue of participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.”
This delay comes as tensions over the war in Gaza continue to spill into the cultural world. A temporary ceasefire was declared last week, leading to the release of 20 Israeli hostages by Hamas in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The conflict, which began in October 2023, has reportedly resulted in over 67,000 Palestinian deaths, according to figures from Gaza’s health ministry.
Israel’s involvement in Eurovision has long stirred controversy, but this year the opposition has escalated. Broadcasters from Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia have all publicly said they would consider boycotting Eurovision 2026 if Israel is allowed to compete. Dutch broadcaster AvroTros stated last month: “If a ceasefire is reached in the near future or the conflict develops differently, that will not change our position for 2026.” They added they would reassess in future years depending on the circumstances.
Austria, which is set to host the contest in Vienna next year, has urged participants not to turn Eurovision into a political battleground. The host broadcaster ORF welcomed the EBU’s decision to delay the vote, supporting a more measured debate. Austria’s Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger argued that the arts should not be used for sanctions, warning: “Such a rift would only deepen the discord and preclude opportunities for important dialogue between artists and the public – without improving the situation on the ground in Israel and Gaza.”
Despite calls for exclusion, Israel’s national broadcaster, KAN, has maintained that it meets all membership requirements and should be allowed to take part, describing itself as “one of the contest’s longstanding, popular and successful participants.”
Israel’s 2025 entry, Yuval Raphael, came second in the competition after winning the public vote, though Austria’s JJ ultimately took the title due to jury scores. Raphael’s performance was met with protests, including an incident during the grand final when audience members tried to disrupt the show and a crew member was hit with paint.
JJ, the 2025 winner, has since joined calls for Israel to be barred from the next competition.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have also become a staple at recent contests, including Malmö in 2024 and Basel in 2025, where large protests were staged outside the Eurovision venues.
The EBU, which represents 56 public service broadcasters, had previously defended keeping politics out of Eurovision. But in a letter sent to members in September, EBU president Delphine Ernotte Cunci admitted the board had failed to reach a consensus and wrote: “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.”
As of now, no final decision has been made, but pressure is mounting. With several nations threatening to pull out and rising public criticism, Eurovision 2026 may face one of the most divisive moments in its history—before a single note is even sung.
