Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia will boycott the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, after it was decided that Israel could compete.<\/p>\n
They were among a number of countries who called for Israel to be excluded over the war in Gaza and accusations of unfair voting practices.<\/p>\n
Ireland’s RT\u00c9 said it felt that its “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.”<\/p>\n
However, at a meeting in Geneva where a vote was held on new safeguards, a “large majority” of members agreed there was no need for a further vote on Israel\u2019s participation and that Eurovision 2026 could proceed as planned, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said.<\/p>\n
The BBC, which broadcasts Eurovision in the UK, said in a statement: “We support the collective decision made by members of the EBU. This is about enforcing the rules of the EBU and being inclusive.”<\/p>\n