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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Philip Oltermann and Lisa O’Carroll

Four countries to boycott Eurovision 2026 as Israel cleared to compete

Israel Eurovision Ireland Netherlands Spain EBU RTVE Avrotros KAN SWR
People wave Israel flags and cheer
Israeli fans cheer for Yuval Raphael at this year’s Eurovision in Basel, Switzerland. Photograph: Martin Meissner/AP

Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands will boycott next year’s Eurovision after Israel was given the all-clear to compete in the 2026 song contest despite calls by several participating broadcasters for its exclusion over the war in Gaza.

No vote on Israel’s participation was held on Thursday at the general assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the body that organises the competition.

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