Ireland will not participate in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, and RTÉ will not broadcast the event, after the organiser cleared the way for Israel to partake.

In a statement on Thursday, RTÉ said it would be “unconscionable” for Ireland to partake in the event given the “appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there”.

At an earlier meeting in Geneva on Thursday, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs the competition, decided no vote would be taken on Israel’s inclusion in the 2026 event.

Instead, participating broadcasters voted only to introduce new rules designed to stop governments and third parties from disproportionately promoting songs to influence voters.

“A large majority of members agreed that there was no need for a further vote on participation and that the Eurovision song contest 2026 should proceed as planned, with the additional safeguards in place,” the EBU said in a statement.

RTÉ and some other European public broadcasters had committed earlier this year to pulling out of the contest if Israel was to be included.

Following this, RTÉ said its position “remains unchanged” and it will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, “nor will RTÉ broadcast the competition”.

“RTÉ remains deeply concerned by the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza during the conflict and the continued denial of access to international journalists to the territory,” the broadcaster said.

Israel’s participation in the annual song contest has been a source of criticism from pro-Palestinian activists in recent years due to Israel’s assault on Gaza since the October 7th attacks by Hamas.

In the wake of the EBU decision, public broadcasters in Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia confirmed they will be boycotting the event.

The United Kingdom’s BBC said it would broadcast next year’s competition, saying it supports the collective decision made by members of the EBU. “This is about enforcing the rules of the EBU and being inclusive,” it said. The German broadcaster SWR confirmed it would participate.

Israel’s president Isaac Herzog said he is pleased his country will once again partipate and hopes the contest will continue to champion culture, music and friendship between nations.

“Israel deserves to be represented on every stage around the world, a cause to which I am fully and actively committed,” he wrote in a post on X.

“Thank you to all our friends who stood up for Israel’s right to continue to contribute and compete at Eurovision. This decision demonstrates solidarity, fellowship, and cooperation, and reinforces the spirit of affinity between nations through culture and music,” he said.

Sinn Féin’s culture spokeswoman, Joanne Byrne, welcomed RTÉ’s boycott, saying it is the “correct and prinicipled” stance due to Israel’s “ongoing genocide”.

Ms Byrne said she is “appalled” the EBU did not put Israel’s participation to a vote. “I commend RTÉ for taking such a brave and principled stance,” she added.

—Additional reporting: Agencies