Eurovision 2026 is being boycotted due to its connection with Israel.

On December 5th, at least four public broadcasters in European countries announced they would not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) allowed Israel to send a representative.

On December 5th, at least four public broadcasters in European countries announced they would not participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) allowed Israel to send a representative.

In a meeting earlier that day in Geneva (Switzerland), the EBU decided not to hold a separate vote on whether Israel should continue to participate in Eurovision 2026, but instead adopted a series of new regulations aimed at increasing transparency and fairness in the voting system, particularly limiting interference from the government and third parties.

Following this decision, the EBU confirmed that Israel will continue to participate in the Eurovision 2026 competition, scheduled to be held in Vienna, Austria, in May 2026.

According to the VNA correspondent in Tel Aviv, Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed the EBU's decision and pledged to continue promoting Israel's cultural presence in international forums.

The EBU's decision has led to strong reactions from several countries. Immediately after the decision was announced, many national television stations in Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia declared they would boycott Eurovision 2026 to protest Israel's participation.

Dutch television argued that Israel's participation was no longer appropriate. Meanwhile, Spanish broadcaster RTVE stated that the situation in Gaza and Israel's use of Eurovision for political purposes made it increasingly difficult for the competition to maintain neutrality.

RTÉ stressed that Ireland found it unacceptable for civilian casualties in Gaza to rise and the humanitarian crisis to continue. Several other countries, such as Iceland and Belgium, were also noted to have considered or previously expressed opposition, while some Nordic countries and the UK pledged continued support for the competition and the neutrality of the EBU.

For its part, the Broadcasting Union confirmed that radio stations RTVE (Spain), AVROTROS (Netherlands), RTÉ (Ireland), and RTVSLO (Slovenia) have withdrawn from the competition. The final list of participating countries will be announced before Christmas.

Eurovision expert Dean Vuletic believes this is one of the most serious crises the EBU has ever faced. He predicts the 70th anniversary competition in Vienna next May will see the biggest boycott in history, with many other countries potentially withdrawing as well. Iceland's RUV is expected to meet next week to decide whether to participate after its board of directors proposed excluding Israel.

Eurovision has been repeatedly drawn into international events, including Russia's exclusion in 2022 after launching a special military operation in Ukraine. However, the conflict in Gaza is considered the biggest challenge to the apolitical nature that the EBU strives to maintain.

The move to withdraw from the competition also puts financial pressure on Eurovision, at a time when many broadcasters are struggling due to budget cuts from governments and the rise of social media.

Spain is one of the top five contributing markets to the competition, while Ireland, along with Sweden, holds the record for seven championships.

The controversy surrounding Israel's participation also overshadowed the return of Bulgaria, Moldova, and Romania after a period of absence due to financial difficulties and other issues.

(VNA/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/eurovision-2026-bi-tay-chay-lien-quan-den-israel-post1081136.vnp