![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2152581920-1.jpg\")
Eden Golan represented Israel at the 2024 contest in Sweden (Getty)<\/p>\nIreland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia have announced that they will boycott Eurovision 2026 after Israel were allowed to compete.<\/p>\n
The nations had called for Israel to be kicked out of the show due to the war in Gaza and accusations of unfair voting in this year\u2019s show. <\/p>\n
Despite worldwide calls for Israel to be removed from the competition, members approved of them performing following a vote by the European Broadcasting Union\u2019s (EBU). <\/p>\n
In a secret ballot, the EBU decided there was \u201cno need for a further vote on participation\u201d after the competition\u2019s voting rules were tightened last month\u00a0to limit the influence of governments on the results.<\/p>\n
Had the EBU voted in favour of further votes on participation, it is widely expected that a vote on Israel\u2019s participation would have taken place. <\/p>\n
Eden Golan represented Israel at the 2024 contest in Sweden (Getty)<\/p>\n
A statement from the EBU on Thursday read: \u201cA 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
In response, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia all announced they would be boycotting next year\u2019s contest in protest over Israel\u2019s participation. <\/p>\n
Spanish broadcaster RTVE added: \u201cThe board of directors of RTVE agreed last September that Spain would withdraw from Eurovision if Israel was part of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis withdrawal also means that RTVE will not broadcast the Eurovision 2026 final\u2026 nor the preliminary semi-finals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dutch broadcaster Avrotros added that \u2018participation under the current circumstances is incompatible with the public values that are essential to us\u2019.<\/p>\n
irish broadcaster RTE said in a statement that it \u201cfeels that Ireland\u2019s participation remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRT\u00c9 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,\u201d the broadcaster added.<\/p>\n