Members of the European Broadcasting Association will vote in November to determine whether Israel will participate in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
“The vote on participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will be held at an extraordinary meeting of the EBU General Assembly, which will be held online in early November,” an EBU spokesman told Reuters on Friday, making it clear that Israeli public broadcaster Kan will later determine whether they will be able to participate.
Israel’s participation in Eurovision has been questioned about the ongoing war in Gaza, with several broadcasters threatening to withdraw from the event if Israel competes. On September 16, Spanish broadcaster RTVE voted to withdraw from the contest, which is scheduled to be held in Vienna in May next year, if Israel participates. Ireland, the Netherlands, Iceland and Slovenia have also issued similar statements.
In a letter sent to EBU members on Thursday reported by the Guardian, President Delphine Elnott Kunsi wrote that there is “unprecedented diversity of diversity opinions” when Israel is allowed to participate and the issue requires “a broader democratic basis.”
In a statement, Kang said he hopes “The Eurovision Song Contest will continue to support its cultural and non-political identity.”
The statement continued that Kang’s disqualification would be particularly troubling ahead of the 70th edition of the song contest, which was established as a symbol of unity, solidarity and fellowship. Such a move could have broad implications for the competition and the value that EBU stands out.”
The current conflict in Gaza has faced opposition since it began after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. In 2024, thousands protested Israeli participation, and earlier this year gathered in Sweden’s Malmo in protest against Basel, with protesters attempting to plunge onto the stage to disrupt the performance of Israeli singer Yuval Raphael.
As a result of differences in opinion over Israeli participation, the deadline for final confirmation of participation has already been moved to December.
