Members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) will vote in November on Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, set to take place in Vienna next year, the EBU announced on Friday.
Eurovision, which emphasizes its political neutrality, has faced controversy this year linked to the ongoing war in Gaza.
“A vote on participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will take place at an extraordinary meeting of the EBU’s General Assembly to be held online in early November,” the EBU told Reuters in a statement. The organization later clarified that the vote concerns the participation of Israel’s public broadcaster, KAN.
Only public service broadcasters who are members of the EBU are eligible to participate in the widely watched contest, and KAN is the sole EBU member broadcaster from Israel, the EBU explained. KAN did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung reported on Thursday that EBU members were informed about the upcoming vote in a letter from the organization’s president, Delphine Ernotte-Cunci. The newspaper included a screenshot of the letter, stating that the EBU executive board acknowledged it could not reach a consensus on KAN’s involvement in the competition.
“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,” Ernotte-Cunci wrote, a statement later confirmed by the EBU.
Tensions around Israel’s participation have already led some countries to threaten withdrawal. On September 16th, Spain’s state broadcaster RTVE voted to withdraw from the 2026 contest in Vienna if Israel is allowed to participate. Spain is the fifth country to make such a pledge, following the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland, and Ireland.
Notably, Spain is the first of the so-called “Big Five” — a group including the UK, Germany, Italy, and France — to announce a potential withdrawal. These countries automatically qualify for the contest’s final round.
Several countries have urged the EBU, a coalition of public broadcasters that organizes and co-produces the annual event, to exclude Israel from the 2025 edition. Even this year’s Eurovision winner, Austrian singer JJ, has called for Israel’s exclusion in 2026.
In a related development, the United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded in September that Israel committed genocide in Gaza — allegations Israel vehemently denies.
Earlier this month, Ireland’s state broadcaster RTE stated: “It is RTE’s position that Ireland will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, if the participation of Israel goes ahead, and the final decision regarding Ireland’s participation will be made once the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) decision is made.”
RTE further explained its stance: “RTE feels that Ireland’s participation would be unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza. RTE is also deeply concerned by the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza, the denial of access to international journalists to the territory, and the plight of the remaining hostages.”
As the November vote approaches, the Eurovision Song Contest faces unprecedented political pressure that challenges its tradition of neutrality. The decision could have significant implications for the future of the competition and its participating broadcasters.
https://www.breakingnews.ie/entertainment/ebu-to-vote-on-israeli-participation-in-2026-eurovision-1811291.html
