Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest will be debated at a two-day meeting of member broadcasters in Geneva starting on Thursday, following calls to exclude the country over its war to eliminate the Hamas terror group.
Countries including Iceland, Ireland, Spain and the Netherlands have threatened in recent months to withdraw from the 2026 contest if Israel is allowed to compete. Others, such as Belgium, Finland and Sweden, have also indicated they are considering a boycott over Gaza.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the competition, had planned to convene member broadcasters in November for a vote on the issue. However, a few days after the October 10 announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization, the EBU postponed the decision until its ordinary general assembly on December 4 and 5.
During this week’s meeting, broadcasters will therefore be asked to decide whether they still wish to hold a vote on Israel’s participation.
