Ireland’s Broadcaster Says Participation in Eurovision 2026 ‘Unconscionable’ if Israel is Included
DUBLIN – Ireland’sโ national broadcaster, RTร, has stated it would be “unconscionable” to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 if Israel is allowed to compete, citing concernsโค over Israel’s โขactions in Gaza. The statement followsโ a Julyโ general assembly of theโ European Broadcasting Union โ(EBU) โwhere several members raised concerns about Israel’s potential participation. A final decision rests with the EBU.
ireland, which has won Eurovision a โrecord seven times, joins Spain in calling for Israel’s exclusion from the competition. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez saidโ in May that Israel should be excluded, arguing against โdouble standardsโ given russia’s exclusion โฃsince its 2022 invasion of Ukraine:โ “Israel shouldn’t eitherโ because what we cannot allow is โdouble standards in culture.”
The EBU organizes Eurovision in cooperation with national public service โฃbroadcasters like RTร, across more โฃthan 35โข countries.โค Eurovisionโฃ 2025 โwasโ held in Basel, Switzerland, after Austria’sโค JJ โขwon the 2024 contest, securing thier hosting rights for 2026. Australia has โฃparticipated as 2015, withโ Go jo performing “Milkshake Man” in the 2025 competition but failing to reach the grand final.
Recent reports indicate that Hamas has lost senior โleaders and its military institution since October 7, 2023, but retains capacity to fightโ Israeli troops and remains the dominant force in Gaza.