{"id":26658,"date":"2025-12-05T10:59:21","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T10:59:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/?p=26658"},"modified":"2025-12-05T10:59:26","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T10:59:26","slug":"four-countries-to-boycott-eurovision-2026-over-israels-inclusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/?p=26658","title":{"rendered":"Four countries to boycott Eurovision 2026 over Israel\u2019s inclusion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Slovenia refuse to participate in next year\u2019s event after calling for Israel to be banned.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Israeli singer Yuval Raphael holds her national flag during a dress rehearsal for the Grand Final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, May 16, 2025, in Basel, Switzerland [File: Martin Meissner\/AP Photo]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain have said they will boycott next year\u2019s Eurovision Song Contest<\/a>, following the decision to allow Israel to compete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The response on Thursday came immediately after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs the competition, said there would not be a vote on whether to exclude Israel, despite calls from some countries to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opponents of Israel\u2019s participation criticise it over its genocidal war on Palestinians in Gaza \u2013 which has so far killed at least 70,125 people \u2013 and over allegations that it unfairly intervened in the most recent competition to the benefit of its entrant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement which cleared Israel to take part, the EBU said on Thursday that its members had shown \u201cclear support for reforms to reinforce trust and protect [the] neutrality\u201d of the contest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The changes, which include the reintroduction of an expanded professional jury at the semifinal stage, aim to discourage governments and third parties from disproportionately promoting songs to sway voters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to Israel\u2019s inclusion, the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS said that \u201cunder the current circumstances, participation cannot be reconciled with the public values that are fundamental to our organisation\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has accused Israel of \u201cproven interference\u201d in last year\u2019s contest while also noting its \u201cserious violation of press freedom\u201d during the Gaza war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ireland will not take part in Eurovision 2026 either, with its broadcaster RTE citing \u201cthe appalling loss of lives in Gaza and humanitarian crisis\u201d as the reason for its boycott.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nor will Slovenia, whose national broadcaster said that its move came \u201con behalf of the 20,000 children who died in Gaza\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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