The Eurovision Song Contest is facing unprecedented controversy over Israel’s participation in the 2026 edition. In recent days, several countries have announced boycott plans or issued threats tied to whether Israel is allowed to compete. Meanwhile, other countries reportedly vowed to withdraw if Israel is banned. Here we fact-check what’s confirmed and what’s rumor, providing official statements and sources for clarity.
Background: Why Israel’s Participation Is Under Scrutiny
Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza since October 2023 has led to public outcry and calls to suspend Israel from Eurovision. Critics argue that allowing Israel to compete “normalizes” its actions during the conflict. They compare it to Eurovision’s ban on Russia after invading Ukraine. Over the past two years, protests have targeted Israel’s Eurovision entries. Dozens of former contestants (including recent winners) have urged the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to exclude Israel. In response, the EBU began consulting its members on how to manage geopolitical tensions. A decision on Israel’s 2026 participation expected at its General Assembly in early December 2025 sources: aljazeera.com jta.org.
Ireland and Netherlands: Official Boycott Announcements
Ireland – On September 11, 2025, Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ released a public statement declaring that “Ireland will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if the participation of Israel goes ahead.” RTÉ said it would be -“unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza,”. The broadcaster cites deep concern about “the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza” and denial of media access. RTÉ added that a final decision on Ireland’s participation will be made once the EBU makes its ruling on Israel. source: RTÉ
The Netherlands – The next day, on September 12, Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS announced it will boycott Eurovision 2026 if Israel is included. In its official statement, AVROTROS said it “can no longer justify Israel’s participation in the current situation, given the ongoing and severe human suffering in Gaza.” Just as Ireland, the Dutch broadcaster also raised press freedom concerns and even alleged “proven evidence of interference by the Israeli government” in the 2025 contest. Several broadcasters had questioned Israel’s win in the 2025 audience vote, though Israel ultimately finished second. AVROTROS emphasized that Eurovision’s core values of peace and unity are at odds with the situation on the ground. Both Ireland and the Netherlands have made it clear: if Israel participates, they will withdraw. source: AVROTROS
Slovenia’s Position: No Eurovision with Israel
Slovenia became the first country to explicitly tie its 2026 participation to Israel’s status. In early July 2025, at the EBU General Assembly in London, Slovenia’s public broadcaster RTVSLO warned that if Israel was in Eurovision, “RTVSLO would not participate due to the genocide in Gaza.” This stance was officially confirmed on September 8, when RTV Slovenija announced it will boycott Eurovision 2026 if Israel participates. Slovenia’s communications department stated they are waiting to see if the EBU bars Israel or addresses other member concerns (like voting transparency) before finalizing their decision. Conclusion: Slovenia has officially declared it will not compete if Israel is allowed to participate. source: hr
Spain and Iceland: Will They Withdraw?
Spain – No official withdrawal confirmation has come from Spain’s broadcaster RTVE yet. However, Spain’s government has taken a firm stand. On September 8, Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun said on TVE’s La Hora de La 1 that radical steps may be necessary if Israel remains in Eurovision. He noted Spain has formally requested Israel’s exclusion. Utrasun warned that if Israel is not expelled, the government would consider “measures”. He stressed that one “cannot normalize Israel’s participation … as if nothing is happening,”. Even Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has publicly urged the EBU to ban Israel. He compared it to how no one objected when Russia was banned after invading Ukraine. Fact-check: It’s true Spain’s leaders are threatening a boycott, but as of now RTVE has not officially pulled out. The push is political. Any final withdrawal would likely need RTVE’s agreement. Source: El Mundo
Iceland – Similarly, Iceland has signaled it “could” withdraw, but hasn’t officially done so. The president of Iceland’s broadcaster RÚV, Stefán Jón Hafstein, wrote an op-ed on July 1, 2025 calling for Israel’s expulsion from Eurovision. He argued Eurovision must apply the same moral standard to Gaza as it did to Ukraine. Hafstein even suggested Israeli artists could compete under a neutral flag rather than represent the state. Later, RÚV’s Director General signaled that if the EBU doesn’t heed the growing calls (from “Spain and Slovenia and others”), it “will call for reactions from these broadcasters.” In other words, if Israel isn’t excluded, Iceland (among others) may boycott as a reaction. In summary: Iceland’s broadcaster has strongly advocated for banning Israel and indicated they might pull out if Israel stays. No final withdrawal decision has been published yet. source: RÙV
Rumor vs Reality: Germany, Italy & Others Backing Israel
On the other side, rumors emerged that several major countries would boycott Eurovision if Israel is banned. Notably, Germany and Italy, two of Eurovision’s biggest financial contributors, were said to have privately warned the EBU in July that if Israel’s broadcaster KAN is expelled without “clear legal grounds,” they would withdraw in protest. According to a report on Israeli Channel 12 (via former Israeli delegation member Amir Alon), Germany and Italy support Israel’s continued participation and allegedly “threatened to leave the contest as well” if KAN were kicked out. The same report suggested Switzerland and Austria also side with Israel’s inclusion. If it came to an EBU vote, Greece, Azerbaijan, and Cyprus would likely “defend Israel’s right to take part.”
Fact-check: These claims have not been officially confirmed by the broadcasters in question. They originated from Israeli media and anonymous sources. Germany’s broadcaster (ARD/SWR) responded to the story by publicly affirming Israel’s rightful place in Eurovision. The broadcasters are noting KAN meets EBU’s rules and has been a member since 1957. The German statement emphasized Eurovision’s values of diversity and that it’s a contest between broadcasters, not governments.
Crucially, the German broadcaster did not explicitly deny the withdrawal threat. It seems a tactical avoidance that still signaled support for Israel’s inclusion. Italy’s broadcaster RAI has made no public comment on the rumor. As Eurovision news site EurovisionFun notes, the “If Israel is out, we’re out too” story is based on an Israeli report and greeted with skepticism by many fans. In short, Germany, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, and Azerbaijan have not issued any official boycott statements. The notion that they’d quit if Israel is banned remains an unconfirmed rumor, albeit one widely circulated in Israeli and international media. source: thejc.com
EBU’s Response and the ‘Neutral Flag’ Rumor
Facing a divided membership, the EBU has thus far taken a cautious approach. It extended the deadline for countries to confirm 2026 participation to mid-December. The EBU appointed an external mediator to navigate the dispute. The EBU has stated that it “understands the deep concerns” around the conflict. However, they aim to keep Eurovision a unifying, apolitical event open to all eligible broadcasters. source: EBU
In mid-September, Israeli news report Ynet claimed that EBU officials floated unofficial proposals to Israel’s representatives to defuse the standoff. These behind-the-scenes suggestions included Israel voluntarily taking a one-year suspension from Eurovision, or allowing Israeli artists to perform under a neutral flag. For example, under the flag of KAN, the public broadcaster. The idea was that a temporary pullout or neutral participation might spare Israel a “humiliating disqualification” by vote of the members, since political pressure to ban Israel was mounting.
Importantly, the EBU quickly denied making any formal proposal to KAN. In response to the report, the EBU stated it “has not made any proposals to KAN regarding participation next year… the consultation with the membership is ongoing and no decisions will be made until the process concludes.”. In other words, the supposed ultimatum of “take a break or use a neutral flag” is just a rumor at this stage. A rumor that is based on unnamed sources, not an official EBU directive. Israeli officials also reportedly rejected those ideas. They see a one-year pause as a dangerous precedent and a neutral flag as unacceptable. source: ynetnews.com
Timeline of Key Events (Summer–Fall 2025)
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July 1, 2025: Iceland’s RÚV President calls for Israel’s exclusion in an op-ed. He suggests Israeli acts could compete under a neutral flag to uphold Eurovision’s values. RÚV’s board agrees to support any EBU proposal to suspend Israel, citing the precedent of Russia’s ban.
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July 8, 2025: Reports from Israel claim Italy and Germany warned the EBU they’d withdraw if Israel is expelled without legal cause. Germany’s broadcaster later voices support for Israel’s participation. However, it’s without directly refuting the reported threat.
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Early July 2025: At the EBU General Assembly in London, Slovenia communicates that it will not compete if Israel does, due to the situation in Gaza. The EBU postpones any decision on Israel until December, launching a consultation among all members.
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September 4, 2025: Slovenia’s RTVSLO issues an official statement reaffirming it will withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel is allowed to participate, pending the EBU’s decision.
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September 11, 2025: Ireland’s RTÉ announces it “will not take part in Eurovision 2026” if Israel is in the contest, calling such participation “unconscionable” amid the Gaza war.
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September 11, 2025: Spain’s Culture Minister says on national TV that Spain cannot “normalize” Israel’s presence He warns that if the EBU doesn’t expel Israel, Spain will consider withdrawing. Though final decision rests with broadcaster RTVE.
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September 12, 2025: Netherlands’ AVROTROS declares it will boycott Eurovision 2026 if Israel participates, citing Gaza’s human suffering and alleging Israeli political interference in Eurovision 2025.
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Mid-September 2025: Israeli media (Ynet) reports that EBU insiders floated a compromise for Israel: sit out one year or perform under a neutral flag. The EBU denies making any formal offers, insisting no decision is made yet.
Conclusion
Multiple countries – Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia – have officially confirmed they will withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel is allowed to compete. Spain and Iceland have strongly hinted at the same. However, their broadcasters haven’t issued final decisions. Meanwhile, rumors that Germany, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Azerbaijan (and others) would boycott if Israel is banned are based on insider reports. They are not publicly confirmed by those broadcasters.
There is a claim that the EBU gave Israel an ultimatum to pause or use a neutral flag. It comes from an Israeli news report and was refuted by the EBU as no official proposal has been made. As of today, the situation remains fluid. All EBU members have until mid-December 2025 to confirm participation. The EBU will address Israel’s status in a December meeting. Until then, the boycott threats are a mix of confirmed stances and speculative rumors. We’ll have to “wait and see” how this unprecedented Eurovision standoff unfolds.
