In recent days a flurry of countries — including Ireland and The Netherlands — have stated categorically that they will withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if the European Broadcasting Union allows Israel to participate. Officials in Iceland and Spain have suggested they could follow suit.
And amid countless statements and even more speculation about which countries would be in and out, the picture has gotten more complicated.
A number of media outlets have claimed that the EBU made a series of proposals to Israel’s broadcaster Kan. Israeli outlet Y Net, for instance, said sources “connected to Eurovision” had conveyed unofficial messages to Israel suggesting “temporary withdrawal or performing under a neutral flag” as an effort to resolve the ongoing participation crisis. This would, Y Net claimed, avoid what its sources called a “humiliating disqualification.” These claims were then repeated in a number of other outlets and several fan media web sites.
Well the EBU has now denied all of it. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, a spokesman said:
“The EBU has not made any proposals to Kan regarding participation in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. The consultation with the wider EBU membership is ongoing and no decisions will be made until the process concludes.”
The EBU added that it “understands the concerns and deeply-held views around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East,” but said it will continue “to gather views on how we manage participation and geopolitical tensions around the Eurovision Song Contest.”
The EBU decision on whether Israel will compete next year is expected by the General Assembly meeting in December.
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Where did the “neutral flag” rumours start?
The recent rumours seem to have flowed partly from the news made back in July during the EBU’s 94th General Assembly.
Stefán Jón Hafstein, Chair of RÚV — Iceland’s national broadcaster — took a key role in discussions on Israel’s participation at the EBU’s 94th General Assembly.
Ahead of the meeting, he outlined his proposals:
- Suspend Israel’s participation until international investigations are available with conclusive results.
- At most, independent Israeli artists are allowed to compete under a neutral flag provided they declare support for Eurovision’s core values, including human rights for all.
- Adhere to human rights standards in Eurovision rules, in the spirit of international sports and politics, and with the example of Russia in mind.
How has Israel responded to withdrawal threats?
On Monday, the CEO of Israel’s public broadcaster, made the broadcaster’s first public response to countries threatening to withdraw if Israel participates.
Golan Yochpaz said: “There is no reason why Israel should not continue to be a significant part of this cultural event, which cannot become political.”
He also discussed Israel’s track record at Eurovision.
“Israel is one of the most successful participants in the Eurovision contest — in the past seven years its songs and representatives have finished in 5th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st place.”
Even if the rumors aren’t true, Russia wasn’t given the option to participate under a neutral flag. Plus even if Israel competed “neutrally” they’d still send a totally not political peace ballad like in 2024 and 2025.
As was expected, Spanish RTVE has already confirmed this morning that they will not participate if Israel is not banned.
Well the EBU didn’t expel Russia because of humanitarian/war reasons, but because many countries threatened to quit. And we are in the same situation, so they are being hypocrites. The contest’s reputation is already tarnished enough, it will take some years to recover, if it does recover. And in my opinion, if Israel is not expelled, that won’t happen.
A neutral flag? Absolutely ridiculous idea. How exactly would that look ? ****** would perform in position 9 but we can’t mention their name or show their flag but everyone knows who they are. It’s an even bigger joke than Russian athletes at the Olympics.
This year, I have muted the TV for 3 minutes during the performances of Israel, Germany, the UK, and Australia, and I still didn’t hear the songs, not even during the recap. I will continue doing this every year from now on because it’s fun. You don’t have to eat everything that’s served; pick what you want.
kick them out, or else countries like Spain, Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia, Belgium, Portugal, Norway, Austria, Poland, UK need to withdraw as a boycott
It makes me so sad to see how torn europe is. I thought it was just in my country Germany where the sides are equal sized. It makes me sick
What the hell?! This is becoming more and more ridiculous.
“Israel is one of the most successful participants in the Eurovision contest..” lol
Well, 2024 and 2025 don’t really count, as that vote was totally manipulated (this year’s entry didn’t perform well in any chart). 2019 and 2022 were a flop, 2021 did worse than expected… Only the 3rd place from 2023 was real and genuine.
Nice to see your exposure of having 2 accounts by posting a pending comment again under a different account and oops… both approved… trying to deceive just like your try to bend the contest’s rules solely against Israel and whitewash Israel’s tremendous success out of your pure jealousy and bitterness. Sad.
“Israel is one of the most successful participants in the Eurovision contest..” lol
Well, 2024 and 2025 don’t really count, as that vote was totally manipulated (this year’s entry didn’t perform well in any chart). 2019 and 2022 were a flop, 2021 did worse than expected… Only the 3rd place from 2023 was real and genuine.
I wouldn’t expect KAN’s CEO to say anything different, but it’s a case of the camel not seeing its own hump. I believe the broadcaster is complicit by adhering to the Netanyahu”s messaging in most of its news division programming and I know that from tuning in to its English, French and Spanish news hour on the official website. I also an acquaintance in Israel who happens to monitor the news media there and he tells me that KAN has absolutely not a single source in Gaza, whether it’s from a foreign humanitarian aid agency or a local contact who… Read more »
A Neutral flag? This looks like a 1st of Apriil joke…
This is like doublespeak in 1984: they’ll look at you with a straight face and tell one thing, while doing the exact opposite (in this case: “This event cannot be political”… but also we’ll run ads en masse asking for a vote to express political support). In any case, they’d never agree to a neutral flag, since the whole point to them is to instrumentalize the contest for propaganda and whitewashing (also as others have added, that wouldn’t exempt the televote from interferences).
…which makes KAN complicit as a propaganda wing of the Israeli public relations office agency within the prime minister’s office which ran these Google accounts and orchestrated the campaign seeing that Yuval Raphael is recorded in 14 languages targeting voters in specific countries to vote for her. It proves KAN is far from being innocent and independent as they would like you to think.
How would a neutral flag even work? I mean broadcasters compete. There is no ” neutral ” broadcaster. It would still be KAN, just not by name..
The flag parade? The artist would wave a white flag even though only country flags are allowed
And the voting would be like ” neutral country 8 points?
People would still understand it is Israel taking part and countries boycott it. I mean commentators would have to explain why there is a neutral flag and who they represente, which would make it useless
Israel saying kicking them out would be a “political” move and that the contest “must not become political”
Much like international law, they cherry pick what suits them. The Israeli Foreign Ministry made their participation political in the last two years (and before the Zio’s come at me, it’s a FACT) Israel and their continued participation has brought politics into this contest.
December can’t come quick enough. Spain is apparently deciding their approach tomorrow however after Pedro Sanchez’s comments regarding what happened at La Vuelta, I’m guessing they’ll follow Ireland and Netherlands.
Golan Yochpaz said: “There is no reason why Israel should not continue to be a significant part of this cultural event, which cannot become political.”
GO AND TELL YOUR GOVERNMENT THAT!!
“We are so successful that we do not have to adhere to human rights?”
How hypocritical is the EBU? Why didn’t they also give Russia that option? Hypocrites.
Maybe because the situation is completely different? I want Israel out of Eurovision as well, but you can never compare this situation to russia.
Like it or not, but the difference is clear – russia attacket a peacefull nation, who absolutely didn’t possess any threat to russia. Israel invaded Gaza after hamas killed more than a 1000 israelis on 7th of October. So Israel was defending itself. YES, after that it got out of hand with too many civilians killed and a war on Palestinians that is looking like a genocide. But both situations can not be compared
Yes, 1400 Israeli deaths by a terror organisation is horrible. But in what way does that justify killing 66,700 ordinary citizens who have nothing to do with Hamas, injuring and maiming many more, and destroying the houses where these people used to live?