RTÉ threaten to pull out of Eurovision if Israel allowed to participate

RTÉ has said they would pull out of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel’s participation is confirmed.

The last two editions of the Eurovision have been overshadowed by Israel’s involvement in the competition following their invasion of Gaza in late 2023.

It has been noted that Russia were banned from the competition after their invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but Israel will still allowed to take part.

A statement from RTÉ read, “at the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in July, a number of EBU members raised concerns about the participation of Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest.”

They said that the meeting raised the option of countries being allowed to withdraw from the competition, without penalty, and RTÉ are now considering this option in light of continued Israeli involvement.

RTÉ said, “it is RTÉ’s position that Ireland will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if the participation of Israel goes ahead, and the final decision regarding Ireland’s participation will be made once the EBU’s decision is made.”

“RTÉ feels that Ireland’s participation would be unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza. RTÉ is also deeply concerned by the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza, and the denial of access to international journalists to the territory, and the plight of the remaining hostages.”

Israel’s involvement in the Eurovision has been contentious; they have taken part in the competition since 1973 as they are a part of the European Broadcasting Union and pay a fee to be part of the organisation, much like Australia and in the past, Russia and Turkey.

Their victory in 2018 led to protests and calls for a boycott among viewers, resulting in a drop in viewership for the 2019 final compared to the 2018 final, and the last two editions of the contest have seen Israel receive a large share of the public vote as a result of online campaigning.

Spain has also threatened to follow suit in light of the continuing Israeli war against Gaza, in which over 60,000 people have died.

Spain’s threatened withdrawal is significant as they are one of the five countries that contribute the most to the European Broadcasting Union; they have threatened withdrawal from the competition on the same grounds as Ireland, noting that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

Slovenia’s state broadcaster has also threatened to pull out of the competition in light of the ongoing war.

State broadcasters from Ireland, Spain, Iceland and Slovenia all protested Israel’s involvement in May’s competition, with SIPTU saying that Israel being allowed to take part was “whitewashing genocide.”