Spain to Quit Eurovision 2026 if Israel Participates Over Gaza Genocide: Broadcaster

Madrid (Quds News Network)- The board of the Spanish state broadcaster RTVE has voted to withdraw from next year’s Eurovision Song Contest if Israel participates, making it the fifth country doing so after the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland and Ireland, citing the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

It is now the fifth country to threaten withdrawal over Israel’s participation, following recent announcements by the Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia and Iceland – but the first of the competition’s so-called “Big Five”, a group that also includes Britain, Germany, Italy and France, which provides the biggest financial contributions to the event, with participants automatically qualifying for the final round.

RTVE announced the decision following a board vote on Tuesday.

The measure, proposed by RTVE president Jose Pablo Lopez, garnered 10 votes in favour, four against, and one abstention in the 15-member board, the broadcaster said in a statement.

Israel has participated in Eurovision as a longtime member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises and co-produces the annual event.

Eurovision is organised by the EBU in cooperation with its members, national public service broadcasters such as RTE, in more than 35 countries.

Recent editions of Eurovision have been overshadowed by opposition to Israel’s participation in the contest over its ongoing genocide in Gaza, which has killed more than 64,000 people amid a blockade on aid entering the enclave, including food and medicines.

In May, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that Israel should be excluded in the future. Madrid has also imposed an arms embargo on Israel.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs the contest, said it understands the “concerns and deeply held views around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.”

Eurovision Director Martin Green confirmed that consultations with all member broadcasters are underway. He said the EBU is still considering how to manage tensions linked to Israel’s participation.

If the EBU fails to act, it risks a major split within Europe’s most-watched cultural event. For many broadcasters, the contest is no longer just about music, but about taking a stand on Gaza.