Israel’s participation in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest is under scrutiny as member broadcasters convene for a two-day meeting in Geneva starting on November 2, 2023. This discussion follows calls from various countries to exclude Israel due to its military actions in Gaza. Nations such as Iceland, Ireland, Spain, and the Netherlands have voiced intentions to withdraw from the 2026 contest if Israel is allowed to participate.
The Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS has justified its stance by citing a “serious violation of press freedom” by Israel in Gaza. They accused the Israeli government of interfering during the last edition of the contest by lobbying international audiences to support its entry, which secured second place. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the contest, initially planned to hold a vote on this issue in November. However, following the October 10 announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the EBU postponed the decision to its general assembly scheduled for December 4-5, 2023.
In a bid to address growing concerns among its members, the EBU recently modified its voting rules to enhance “trust and transparency.” During the current meeting in Geneva, broadcasters will evaluate whether these changes are adequate or if a vote regarding Israel’s participation is still necessary.
The host broadcaster for the 2026 contest, ORF from Austria, hopes for a consensus that would allow as many nations to participate as possible. However, some members remain skeptical about the EBU’s new measures. RUV, Iceland’s public broadcaster, announced last week it would push for Israel’s expulsion from the contest before confirming its own participation. Spain’s public broadcaster, RTVE, reiterated its commitment to boycott the contest if Israel is involved, with RTVE president Jose Pablo Lopez stating, “Israel has politically used the contest, has tried to influence the outcome, and has not been sanctioned for this conduct.”
Other broadcasters are also taking a stand. Slovenia’s public broadcaster has indicated it will not participate in the contest, as evidenced by a recently passed budget that did not allocate funds for participation. However, RTV Slovenija chief Natasa Gorscak noted that if a vote on Israel’s status occurs and results in its exclusion, Slovenia would consider participating.
The recent EBU rule changes were prompted by the performance of Israeli acts in prior contests, which saw them receive minimal support from professional juries but significant backing from public votes. This discrepancy helped artists such as Eden Golan and Yuval Raphael achieve notable placements in the contests held in Malmo, Sweden, and Basel, Switzerland, respectively.
Should Israel be barred from the Eurovision contest, it would not be the first instance of such action. Russia was excluded following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, while Belarus faced a similar fate in 2021 after the disputed re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko. As the meeting progresses, the outcome of this debate could significantly impact the future landscape of the Eurovision Song Contest.
