Eurovision: The Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia Announce Boycott Due to Israel's Participation 0 25

Following the announcement of a boycott by Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain, the Slovenian national broadcaster also posted a similar message on its website.

A number of countries, including Iceland, Belgium, Finland, and Sweden, had previously threatened to boycott Eurovision if Israel was allowed to participate. Many European nations accuse Israel of genocide due to its military operation in the Gaza Strip, which began after an unprecedented attack by the Hamas terrorist group on October 7, 2023.

Irish broadcaster RTE and Spanish RTVE have already stated that they will not only boycott Eurovision but also will not broadcast it, according to the BBC.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed satisfaction with the EBU's decision, stating that Israel "deserves to be represented on all global stages." He added that he hopes for the preservation of the spirit of friendship, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding.

"I thank all our friends who supported Israel's right to continue participating in the contest. This decision demonstrates solidarity and strengthens the spirit of cooperation and friendship among nations," he wrote on X.

The EBU, which organizes Eurovision together with broadcasters from over 35 countries, had planned to hold a vote on this issue in November, but after the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on October 10, the decision was postponed to the next General Assembly, which takes place on Thursday and Friday.

Last month, in an attempt to avoid a controversial vote, the EBU announced changes to the voting rules in response to participants' concerns and to enhance "trust and transparency." This week, broadcasters will have to decide whether they consider the new measures sufficient or still insist on voting regarding Israel.

The rules were changed after the last two contests showed a sharp difference: Israeli performers received low scores from the professional jury but huge support from the audience.

This year, the contest in Basel was won by Austrian singer JJ with the song "Wasted Love," while Israeli singer Yuval Rafael took second place. She received the most audience votes, but the expert juries rated her much lower. After this, several broadcasters expressed doubts about the voting process.

Earlier, Otkrito.lv reported that Yuval Rafael represented Israel at Eurovision 2025 - she survived at the Nova festival, pretending to be dead for 8 hours.