Eurovision 2026 Crisis: 4 countries withdraw as Israel allowed to participate

Israel has been given the go-ahead to compete in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, Euronews writes.

The issue of Israel’s participation became controversial after Iceland, Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, and the Netherlands threatened to boycott the 2026 contest if Israel were included. The boycott was in response to Israel’s actions in the Gaza conflict.

Immediately following the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) announcement, the broadcasters from Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain stated that they would not participate in the 2026 contest.