Elham Asaad Buaras
Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS has announced it will join a growing European boycott of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is allowed to participate, citing the “ongoing and severe human suffering in Gaza” and a “serious erosion of press freedom.”
The move solidifies a significant bloc of European countries, including Ireland, Spain, and Slovenia, who are prepared to withdraw from the world’s largest live music event in protest.
The Dutch public broadcaster released a statement on September 12, echoing the position of Ireland’s RTÉ, saying it could no longer justify Israel’s inclusion. “Human suffering, the suppression of press freedom and political interference are at odds with the values of public broadcasting,” AVROTROS said. It specifically cited the Israeli ban on international media from entering Gaza and the “many casualties among journalists” as key reasons for its stance.
The boycott threat escalates tensions with the contest’s organizer, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which is facing its most significant political crisis in years.
In response to the mounting pressure, Eurovision Director, Martin Green, issued a statement on September 12, saying, “We understand the concerns and deeply held views around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.” He confirmed the EBU had launched a consultation with its members back in July to discuss how to manage geopolitical tensions and participation. “It is up to each member to decide if they want to take part in the contest and we would respect any decision broadcasters make,” a Eurovision spokesman said. Broadcasters have until mid-December to confirm their participation for the 2026 event in Vienna.
The coordinated pressure began when Irish broadcaster RTÉ called participation “unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza,” highlighting the targeted killings of journalists and the plight of hostages. RTÉ stated its final decision will follow the EBU’s ruling on Israel’s eligibility.
Spain’s Culture Minister, Ernest Urtasun, then warned that “radical steps” may be necessary if Israel participates, stressing that allowing Israel to compete would amount to “normalising” its role in international forums amid an offensive that has claimed at least 64,600 Palestinian lives since October 2023 and left Gaza facing famine.
Similarly, Slovenia’s public broadcaster, RTVSLO, confirmed it will not participate if Israel is included. Director Ksenija Horvat stated the decision, first voiced at the EBU General Assembly in July, is also an act of solidarity with Palestine and depends on whether the EBU addresses broader concerns about voting transparency, citing “obvious statistical irregularities” in past contests.
The controversy is fuelled by the aftermath of the May 2025 contest. Israel’s entry, performed by Yuval Raphael, finished 14th in the jury vote but surged to second overall after topping the public televote in 13 countries. Investigations suggested pro-Israel supporters cast multiple votes across different countries, raising concerns of manipulation.
Broadcasters from Ireland, Spain, Belgium, Finland, Iceland, and the Netherlands had already called for greater transparency. Belgian MP Katia Segers stated bluntly: “A system in which everyone can cast up to 20 votes is a system that encourages manipulation.” Reports that Israeli embassies and government-affiliated social media accounts encouraged voting for Raphael further fuelled criticism, raising fears the contest is becoming a stage for soft-power campaigns.
The EBU has extended the participation deadline until mid-December and will vote on Israel’s eligibility during its assembly in Geneva on December 4–5, 2025. This decision is now critical and could determine the participation of multiple European countries.
On September 12, Irish musician and songwriter Phil Coulter, who wrote the UK’s 1967 winning song, called on the UK to withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel participates, saying people in the UK and Ireland are both “disgusted by what’s going on in Gaza.” The BBC, the UK’s Eurovision broadcaster, has so far declined to comment.
Eurovision 2026 is scheduled to take place in Vienna after Austrian singer JJ won this year’s contest.Tens of thousands people take to the streets to protest against Israel’s Eurovision Song Contest participation in Malmo, Sweden on May 9, 2024. (Credit: Atila Altuntaş/Anadolu Agency)
