Israel’s Eurovision spot faces backlash from European broadcasters

Member broadcasters of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) will meet in Geneva for two days from Thursday to debate whether Israel should be allowed to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest, as anger continues to grow over its genocide on Gaza, the AFP reported.

Several countries, including Iceland, Ireland, Spain and the Netherlands, have warned in recent months that they could withdraw from the 2026 competition if Israel remains in the line-up. Others, such as Belgium, Finland and Sweden, have also signalled that they are weighing a boycott because of Israel’s war on Gaza.

Explaining its position, Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS cited a "serious violation of press freedom" by Israel in Gaza. It also accused Israel of "proven interference... during the last edition of the Song Contest", in which it finished second, claiming it had lobbied audiences abroad to boost its vote.