In Europe, the scandal surrounding Israel's possible participation in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest 2026 continues to grow. Several countries have spoken out against Israel's representative participating, and now Spain has joined these countries, with its state broadcaster RTVE announcing that it will withdraw from participation if Israel is admitted to the competition in Vienna. This is reported by Reuters, writes UNN.
Details
The decision was made by the RTVE board: 10 members supported the decision, four rejected it, and one abstained. The initiator was the corporation's president, José Pablo López, according to the broadcaster's statement.
Spain became the fifth country to put forward a similar condition after the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland, and Ireland. At the same time, Madrid is the first country from the so-called "Big Five", which also includes Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and France. These countries automatically qualify for the final of the competition, so their position carries particular weight.
Spain is the fifth country to make such a pledge after the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland and Ireland, and the first of the so-called "Big Five" – a group that also includes the UK, Germany, Italy and France. These countries automatically qualify for the final round of the competition
The organizers of "Eurovision" - the European Broadcasting Union - traditionally emphasize the apolitical nature of the event. However, the war in Gaza has turned the competition into an arena of heated discussions. Even during "Eurovision 2025", a number of states demanded that the broadcasting union exclude Israel. Despite the protests, the country participated, and its representative Yuval Raphael took second place.
The Reuters agency's material states that European observers note that Spain's demarche could be a turning point, as for the first time, the boycott of the competition was supported by one of the key financial countries. This could force the organizers to reconsider their decision regarding Israel.
Recall
Earlier, the organizers of Eurovision suggested that Israel withdraw from the 2026 competition in Austria or perform under a neutral flag. This is due to threats of a boycott from several countries over the war in Gaza.
Earlier, Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ stated that the country might withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel participates. The decision is related to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the deaths of civilians.