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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Jamey Keaten and Jill Lawless

Eurovision chiefs face thorny question of whether Israel should take part in the 2026 song contest

Eurovision Israel - (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest, the feel-good pop music gala that draws more than 100 million viewers every year, are meeting Thursday to tackle a bitter and divisive issue: Whether Israel should be allowed to participate in the 2026 competition.

The European Broadcasting Union, a group of public broadcasters from 56 countries that runs the competition, is holding a general assembly, with some countries calling for Israel to be excluded over alleged interference in contest voting and its conduct of the war against the militant Hamas group in Gaza.

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