GENEVA; Israel was cleared on Thursday to enter next year’s Eurovision song contest, prompting Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia to follow through on their threats to withdraw from the competition in protest against Israel’s conduct during the Gaza conflict.

After a meeting in Geneva, the European Broadcasting Union decided not to call a vote on Israel’s participation, and said it had instead passed rules aimed at discouraging governments from influencing the contest.

Right after that announcement, the Dutch, Spanish and Irish broadcasters said they would withdraw from the competition, meaning singers from their countries will not compete in the contest, which draws millions of viewers worldwide.

Others, including Belgium, Finland, and Sweden, have also indicated they were considering a boycott over the situation in Gaza.

Irish broadcaster RTE said it felt “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”.

Natalija Gorscak, head of Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenija, said her country had also withdrawn.

The broadcasters who had threatened to boycott the event cited the death count in Gaza and accused Israel of flouting rules meant to guard the contest’s neutrality.

The EBU said members backed new rules intended to discourage governments and third parties from disproportionately promoting songs to sway voters after allegations that Israel unfairly boosted its entrant this year.

“This vote means that all EBU members who wish to participate in the Eurovision song contest and agree to comply with the new rules are eligible to take part,” the EBU said.

Sharp division

The issue has sharply divided participants in the competition that has a history of entanglement in national rivalries, international issues and political voting.

The Dutch broadcaster said it had concluded “that under the current circumstances participation cannot be reconciled with the public values that are fundamental to our organisation”.

Germany, a major Eurovision backer, had said it would not take part if Israel was barred.

Israel’s 2025 entrant, Yuval Raphael, was at the Nova music festival, one of the targets in the Oct 7, 2023, raids in Israel.

‘Political ends’

The EBU had planned to convene member broadcasters in November for a vote on the issue.

But a few days after the October 10 announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the EBU postponed a decision until its ordinary general assembly on December 4 and 5.

Last month, in an apparent bid to avoid a contentious vote, the EBU announced that it had changed Eurovision voting rules to address members’ concerns and to strengthen “trust and transparency”.

Broadcasters will now be asked to consider whether the new measures are sufficient or whether they still wish to see a vote on Israel’s participation.

“The plan is to discuss and vote on these changes during the EBU General Assembly meeting later today,” Finland’s public broadcaster Yle said on Thursday.

“Yle will make its decision on participating in Eurovision based on the outcome of the discussion and vote at the meeting.

Austria’s public broadcaster ORF, which will host the 2026 contest, has expressed hope that a consensus can be reached so that it can host “as many participants as possible”.

But other broadcasters have suggested the new EBU measures are insufficient.

Iceland’s RUV said last week it would call for Israel to be expelled before determining its own participation in 2026.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2025