Spanish state broadcaster Radio Television Spain (RTVE) has decided that the country will not take part in the Eurovision song contest if Israel participates in next year’s event in Vienna. The measure, proposed by RTVE President José Pablo López, received 10 votes in favour and four votes against from the organisation’s 15-member board, an announcement said on Tuesday.
Spain has become the fifth country to threaten to boycott the contest after the Netherlands and Ireland adopted similar steps on September 12 and 11. Iceland’s RÚV has also said its participation remains undecided while RTVSLO from Slovenia took the initiative and was the first to threaten to withdraw unless Israel is excluded. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is expected to decide on whether to allow Israel into Eurovision in November or December, according to the director-general of RÚV. Eurovision participation is dependent on a country’s state broadcaster submitting its entry to the EBU.
On Monday, Spain’s culture minister Ernest Urtasun reiterated calls for his country not to participate in Eurovision if Israel is allowed to take the stage. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had earlier called for Israel’s exclusion, likening its war on Gaza to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which earned Moscow a ban from Eurovision. RTVE initially wrote to the EBU in April, asking for a debate among members regarding Israel’s participation.
Israeli media reports suggest EBU officials have reached out to country representatives, asking Israel to withdraw voluntarily to avoid a “humiliating disqualification”. According to Ynet Global, the unofficial proposal says Israel may also participate under a neutral flag. Israel’s state broadcaster KAN is expected to reject both routes and try to participate as per standard procedure. Officially, the EBU has not confirmed any such reports. It has said it will respect the decision of any member choosing not to participate.
Israel’s participation in Eurovision has drawn sharp criticism since the country began its brutal war on Gaza in October 2023. The country’s participation this year drew public outcry as its contestant, Yuval Raphael, performed a song about a day-after scenario for her country’s brutal military campaign — and was jeered at excessively for it. Even this year’s winner JJ, who secured the win for Austria in a last-minute nail-biter against Raphael, called for Israel to be kept out of the competition.
According to Anadolu Agency, the death toll in Gaza exceeds 64,900 as the United Nations gears up for a September 22 summit on the recognition of a Palestinian state. An inquiry by the UN Human Rights Council has found Israel guilty of genocide against Palestinians.
Cover photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming