Israel will be allowed to participate in Eurovision 2026. This comes after a vote was held at the EBU’s General Assembly on Thursday 4 December over the new rules that organisers had proposed for the contest.
Leaked images of the voting results show that 738 votes were cast in favour of accepting the rule changes and not moving forward with a separate vote on Israel’s participation at the contest.
Of the 1122 votes cast, 264 voted against the measure and 120 abstained.
Countries immediately withdraw
Following the vote, four countries have already confirmed they will withdraw from next year’s contest in Vienna over Israel’s ongoing presence.
They are the Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia and Spain.
Statement from Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS
AVROTROS has decided not to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026. This decision follows a careful and extensive deliberation process in which we consulted a broad range of stakeholders: from the Israeli ambassador to Amnesty International, from the EBU to several European public broadcasters, as well as our own Association Council, Works Council, Supervisory Board, and the many thousands of Eurovision fans who reached out to us. After weighing all perspectives, AVROTROS concludes that, under the current circumstances, participation cannot be reconciled with the public values that are fundamental to our organisation. This decision was taken in close coordination with the Dutch Public Broadcasting (NPO), which respects and supports the conclusions we have drawn.
Review of the Process
On 12 September 2025, AVROTROS noted that the severe humanitarian suffering in Gaza, the restrictions on press freedom, and the political interference surrounding the most recent edition of the Eurovision Song Contest were incompatible with the values we stand for. In that context, AVROTROS concluded that participation by the Israeli broadcaster KAN in this year could no longer be aligned with our responsibilities as a public broadcaster. Reliability, independence, and humanity are our guiding principles.
EBU Response and Developments
The EBU has acknowledged that political interference occurred during the previous edition and has announced additional measures to prevent a recurrence. However, these measures do not alter what happened during the last contest. Today, the General Assembly decided that Israel will be allowed to participate in 2026. At the same time, the meeting made clear that concerns about the neutrality and apolitical character of the Eurovision Song Contest remain significant among several European public broadcasters.
Conclusion
What unfolded over the past year, including the infringement of universal values such as humanity, press freedom, but also the political interference that occurred during the previous edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, crossed a boundary for us. That remains decisive for AVROTROS, regardless of the steps taken since. Additionally, the situation in Gaza remains extremely fragile and deeply concerning. At this moment, it is simply too early to speak of a substantial, stable improvement that would allow us to participate in the Song Contest in a way that aligns with our values.
Statement from Taco Zimmerman, General Director of AVROTROS
“This has not been an easy decision, nor one taken lightly. The Eurovision Song Contest is of great importance to us. Culture unites, but not at any price. What has happened over the past year has tested the limits of what we can uphold. Universal values such as humanity and press freedom have been seriously compromised, and for us, these values are non-negotiable. As a public broadcaster, we have a responsibility to remain true to our core values, even when that is difficult or sensitive.”
Statement from Irish broadcaster RTÉ
“Following today’s EBU Winter General Assembly in Geneva at which Israel’s participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest was confirmed, RTÉ’s position remains unchanged. RTÉ will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, nor will RTÉ broadcast the competition.
“RTÉ feels that Ireland’s participation remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there, which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk. RTÉ remains deeply concerned by the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza during the conflict and the continued denial of access to international journalists to the territory.”
Statement from Slovenian broadcaster RTVSLO
RTV Slovenia Board Chairwoman Natalija Gorščak said at the General Assembly:
“Our journalists were not and still are not allowed to enter Gaza, where more than 200 journalists were killed. Last year we saw that the Israeli performance was political. Don’t forget that we banned a similar performance by a Russian singer in Ukraine. In 2016, we opened Pandora’s box in Stockholm when a political song won, and since then we have been fighting against politics at Eurovision.
“We are all trapped. We are hostages of the political interests of the Israeli government.”
“For the third year in a row, the public has demanded that we say no to the participation of any country that attacks another country. We must follow European standards for peace and understanding. Eurovision has been a place for joy and happiness from the very beginning, performers and audiences were united by music, and it should remain that way.”
“Our message is: we will not participate in the ESC if Israel is there. On behalf of the 20,000 children who died in Gaza.”
Statement from Spanish broadcaster RTVE
RTVE has announced Spain’s withdrawal from the Eurovision Song Contest following the votes held today in Geneva at the 95th EBU General Assembly, which resulted in Israel remaining in the European music competition. The RTVE Board of Directors agreed last September that Spain would withdraw from Eurovision if Israel participated.
The withdrawal from the Festival also means that RTVE will not broadcast the Eurovision 2026 final , which will be held in Vienna (Austria) on May 16, nor the previous semi-finals of the contest, which will take place on the 12th and 14th.
RTVE, along with seven other countries, has formally requested a secret ballot at the Assembly. The EBU presidency has denied RTVE’s request for a specific vote on Israel’s participation. This decision increases RTVE’s distrust of the festival’s organization and confirms the political pressure surrounding it.
In his address to the General Assembly prior to the vote, RTVE Secretary General Alfonso Morales explained that the Corporation “recognizes and values” the measures adopted by the EBU and the Reference Group to defend the core principles and values of the Eurovision Song Contest. “However, we consider these measures insufficient ,” he stated.
“We would like to express our serious doubts about the participation of Israeli broadcaster KAN in Eurovision 2026. The situation in Gaza, despite the ceasefire and the approval of the peace process, and Israel’s use of the contest for political purposes, make it increasingly difficult to maintain Eurovision as a neutral cultural event ,” he remarked.
The head of the Corporation also expressed concern about the manipulation of the vote in recent editions and the lack of sanctions in this regard. “We shouldn’t accept double standards. Neutrality and transparency are a shared objective to guarantee a truthful result that respects the audience and the citizens,” he stated.
For this reason, RTVE has demanded a secret ballot for all votes scheduled today in the General Assembly, both planned and unplanned, in relation to the Eurovision Song Contest.
It has also requested a vote on the possible temporary suspension of KAN’s participation for a minimum period of one year , with the option of a subsequent review at the end of this period, and has indicated that if it is not approved, RTVE will not be able to participate in this edition.
He emphasized that the leadership of the EBU and Eurovision “is causing one of the greatest internal tensions in the organization’s history .” “We firmly believe that this situation should never have been allowed to develop,” he stressed.
The Secretary General of RTVE added that the issue of sanctions against Israel for its continued non-compliance with the Eurovision Song Contest rules should have been addressed at an executive level and not by bringing the conflict to the Assembly, in order to avoid the tense situation between the different members.
Finally, Alfonso Morales pointed out that RTVE maintains this position “out of respect and deep concern for the complicated situation we find ourselves in and with the hope that we will be able to move forward and remain united in the EBU.”
