Reykjavik (QNN)-Iceland has become the fifth country to boycott next year’s Eurovision song contest after Israel was allowed to compete, despite calls for its exclusion over the genocide in Gaza.
Last Thursday, The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) gave Israel the green light to compete.
In response, four countries, Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands, announced they will boycott the contest, after having called for Israel's exclusion over the genocide in Gaza and accusations Israel has employed unfair voting practices.
Stefan Eiriksson, director-general of Icelandic national broadcaster RÚV, said: "There is no peace or joy connected to this contest as things stand now. On that basis, first and foremost, we are stepping back while the situation is as it is."
RÚV said Israel's participation had "created disunity among both members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the general public".
The broadcaster's board agreed the decision at a meeting on Wednesday, hours before the deadline for countries to confirm whether they will join what's supposed to be a celebratory 70th anniversary edition of the song contest next May.
The Icelandic broadcaster's board had previously approved a recommendation to ask the EBU to ban Israel from Eurovision 2026.
Iceland was reportedly among seven countries that then requested a vote at the EBU general meeting on Israel's participation.
"RÚV has repeatedly raised concerns that various Icelandic stakeholders, such as artist associations and the general public, were opposed to participation in the contest.”
"Furthermore, RÚV had requested the EBU to exclude [Israeli public broadcaster] KAN from the contest in accordance with precedents.”
"It is a complex matter which has already damaged the contest's reputation and EBU, emphasizing the necessity of a solution for all concerned parties."
RTÉ, the Irish broadcaster, said participation was “unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there” while RTVE in Spain said participating would engender “distrust” in the organisation given the depth of feeling over Gaza.
Spain’s culture minister, Ernest Urtasun, backed the boycott. He said: “You can’t whitewash Israel given the genocide in Gaza. Culture should be on the side of peace and justice.”
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 70,000 Palestinians since October 2023.
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.
The decision by the five countries means they will neither participate in nor broadcast the event, which is scheduled to take place in Vienna.
