Spain, Ireland, Slovenia won’t air Eurovision over Israel’s participation

Eurovision 2026 Opens Amid Israel Controversy and Vote Manipulation Claims

The 70th Eurovision Song Contest officially launched in Vienna on Sunday, May 10, with a turquoise carpet ceremony at the Rathausplatz welcoming delegations from 35 countries — but the festivities were overshadowed by the largest boycott in the competition’s history and fresh allegations of vote manipulation tied to Israel’s participation.youtube

Five Countries Boycott, Three Pull Broadcasts

Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain have all withdrawn from the contest in protest over Israel’s continued participation amid the war in Gaza, making this the fewest competing nations since Eurovision expanded entry in 2004. On Monday, public broadcasters in Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia announced they would not even air the competition. Ireland’s RTÉ said participation was “unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza”, while Slovenia’s RTV said it would replace Eurovision programming with a series titled “Voices of Palestine”.thejournal

New York Times Investigation and Vote Campaign Warning

A New York Times investigation published Monday revealed that the Israeli government ran a broader and longer-running campaign than previously known to boost Israel’s Eurovision vote totals, using the contest as what the newspaper called a “soft power tool”. The investigation, based on previously undisclosed voting data and interviews with more than 50 people, found a well-organized effort coordinated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Data obtained by the Times showed how the campaign “could easily have influenced voting” in last year’s contest in Basel.nytimes

Separately, Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green issued a formal warning letter to Israeli broadcaster KAN after promotional videos featuring Israel’s 2026 representative, Noam Bettan, urged viewers to “vote 10 times for Israel”. Green said the videos were “not in line with the rules or the spirit of the competition”.rte

Rights Groups and Artists Weigh In

Amnesty International’s secretary general Agnes Callamard called the European Broadcasting Union’s failure to suspend Israel — as it did with Russia following the invasion of Ukraine — “an act of cowardice and an illustration of blatant double standards”. Israel’s participation “offers the country a platform to try to deflect attention from and normalise its ongoing genocide in occupied Gaza,” Callamard said. More than 1,100 artists, including Brian Eno, Macklemore, and Sigur Rós, signed an open letter calling for a boycott of the contest.wsws

The first semi-final is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, with the grand final set for Saturday, May 16, at Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle. Israel will compete with the song “Michelle,” performed by Bettan.europeanconservative