'Unconscionable': Ireland to boycott Eurovision 2026 if Israel participates

Published connected 12/09/2025 - 8:51 GMT+2 •Updated 9:10

Ireland person announced that they will boycott Eurovision 2026 “if nan information of Israel goes ahead”. 

Irish broadcaster RTÉ released a statement saying that astatine nan General Assembly of nan European Broadcasting Union (EBU), nan organizers of nan Eurovision Song Contest, in July, “a number of EBU members raised concerns astir nan information of Israel successful nan Eurovision Song Contest”.

The connection read: “It is RTÉ’s position that Ireland will not return portion successful nan 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, if nan information of Israel goes ahead, and nan last determination regarding Ireland’s information will beryllium made erstwhile nan EBU’s determination is made”. 

The broadcaster added: “RTÉ feels that Ireland’s information would beryllium unconscionable fixed nan ongoing and appalling nonaccomplishment of lives successful Gaza. RTÉ is besides profoundly concerned by nan targeted sidesplitting of journalists successful Gaza, nan denial of entree to world journalists to nan territory, and nan plight of nan remaining hostages.”

This follows comments made by Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun regarding Spain’s information successful Eurovision adjacent year.

Earlier this week, Euronews Culture reported that Spain besides threatened to retreat from nan title if Israel is kept connected nan line-up. “I don’t deliberation we tin normalise Israel’s information successful world events arsenic if thing is happening,” said Urtasun during an question and reply on La hora de La 1 connected TVE. “It is not an individual creator who participates but personification who participates connected behalf of that country’s citizens.” 

Urtasun said that if Israel participated successful 2026 “and we neglect to expel it, measures will person to beryllium taken” - arsenic cited by nan Spanish regular newspaper La Vanguardia - and reminded viewers that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez antecedently called connected EBU to prohibition Israel from nan world competition. 

In May, Sánchez called connected nan EBU to exclude Israel, saying that "no 1 was shaking their heads" erstwhile Russia was banned from world competitions and Eurovision aft its penetration of Ukraine. He called for nan aforesaid prohibition to beryllium applied to Israel complete nan Gaza war. 

Urtasun specified that it is not antisemitic to denounce nan “genocide” taking spot successful Gaza and described Israel arsenic a “genocidal government.” 

These statements by Ireland and Spain, arsenic good arsenic growing nationalist protests, show rather to what grade Eurovision is facing a huge crisis. 

The title has been caught up in political tensions over Israel’s information for 2 years now, and nan head of Slovenia’s nationalist broadcaster, RTVSLO, has already announced that it will apt retreat from nan title adjacent twelvemonth if Israel participates. 

Indeed, Ksenija Horvat precocious said that RTVE had reached retired to EBU respective times pinch concerns regarding Israel’s information successful adjacent year’s competition. 

RTVSLO called for nan expulsion of Israel from Eurovision 2025, joining much than 70 erstwhile Eurovision contestants signing an unfastened missive demanding Israel and its nationalist broadcaster KAN be banned from nan contest. 

The victor of past year’s Eurovision, Austrian vocalist JJ, has said that he too wants Israel to beryllium banned from nan Eurovision 2026.

The EBU has extended its penalty-free withdrawal deadline to December, erstwhile a last determination connected Israel’s information is expected astatine nan General Assembly.

Since Hamas’ onslaught connected Israeli citizens connected October 7, 2023, aggregate UN quality authorities experts have stated that Israel’s subject actions successful Gaza magnitude to genocide, pinch nan International Court of Justice uncovering claims of genocide plausible. 

Last month, nan Integrated Food Security Phase Classification announced that group successful nan Gaza Strip are officially facing “a man-made” famine in nan territory – contempt what nan Israeli authorities has said.

The 70th day version of Eurovision is owed to return spot successful Vienna, Austria.The finale will return spot connected 16 May aft nan semi-finals connected 12 and 14 May 2026.