The discussion surrounding who might withdraw from Eurovision 2026 should Israel participate has now turned to Italy.
Three members of the Board of Directors for Italy’s state broadcaster have issued a statement calling for Rai to do just that.
Alessandro di Majo, Davide Di Pietro and Roberto Natale are amongst the seven members of the board.
Their announcement, which you can read in full below, came after a nation-wide strike on Monday. Thousands of Italians took to the streets in 80 towns and cities across the country, calling for an end to Israel’s offensive in Gaza and for the Italian government to recognise the state of Palestine.
Rai board members call for Italy to withdraw from Eurovision
“The wave of solidarity for Palestine that swept through Italy yesterday, bringing hundreds of thousands of people to the streets and also finding the support of many public service employees (as evidenced by the cancellation of various broadcasts) must also question RAI. In recent weeks, five public broadcasters have decided not to participate if Israel takes part in the contest. We ask that Italy do the same, giving a concrete sign of support to a people subjected to extermination.
“Eurovision has always been an international event based on values of peace, inclusion, respect and brotherhood among peoples. However, the participation of countries involved in serious human rights violations risks profoundly compromising their meaning and credibility. Let us recall that precisely for this reason, in recent years, the EBU decided to exclude first Belarus and then (after the invasion of Ukraine) Russia.
“In this context, Italy’s participation, without any form of dissent or symbolic gesture, could be interpreted as a silent legitimisation of what is happening. We believe instead that Italy, a founding country of the European Union and historically committed to the promotion of peace, must take a position consistent with its constitutional values and with the feelings of a large part of its citizens. Announcing this choice now is one more way to put pressure on Israel, make it feel isolated internationally and force it to stop the massacre: perhaps in time to return to the stage in Vienna.”
Alessandro di Majo, Davide Di Pietro and Roberto Natale
Rai’s board members cited the five other broadcasters who have made similar calls.
Slovenia, Ireland, Netherlands and Spain have all declared they will withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel competes. Officials in Iceland have suggested they could likely follow suit.
The broadcasters from these nations have stated that participation alongside Israel would be “unconscionable” given: the ongoing loss of lives in Gaza, where more than 65,000 people have died as a result of Israeli attacks since October 2023; the targeted killing of journalists and deliberate exclusion of independent international reporting in the region; proven interference by the Israeli government during Eurovision 2025.
The United Nations has confirmed famine in Gaza as a result of Israel’s policies, and its commission of inquiry declared Israel has committed genocide in the region.
