ESC 2026 with Israel? It Gets Serious in November

The question of whether Israel should participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna next year despite the Gaza war threatens to divide the European Broadcasting Union and its members. The debate has been escalating for weeks, and countries like Spain, Ireland, or the Netherlands have announced that they will not travel to Vienna if Israel is not excluded. Now the EBU has responded. On Thursday, it was decided to convene an extraordinary general assembly at the beginning of November.

"Unprecedented Diversity of Opinions"

The EBU, as the organizer of the music competition, informed its members of this in a letter available to the APA. It refers to the "unprecedented diversity of opinions" among EBU members regarding Israel's participation. The EBU board has become aware that a consensual position cannot be reached here.

Extraordinary General Assembly Before ESC

Therefore, they are relying on a broader, democratic decision-making basis in a vote where all members should have a voice: "For this reason, the board decided to organize an extraordinary general assembly, which should take place online at the beginning of November, so that members could vote on the question of participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026."

"The board is convinced that the Union stands for inclusivity and an open cultural dialogue that reflects the values of public service media," it was emphasized at the same time.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.