Before the grand finale of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, crowds hold a pro-Palestine rally on Barfüsserplatz.Image: keystone
ESC
Dec 4, 2025, 6:41 p.mDec 4, 2025, 7:19 p.m
Israel can take part in the Eurovision Song Contest in Austria in 2026. The members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) agreed on this on Thursday in Geneva, according to consistent sources.
Several countries had previously threatened a boycott. After a secret vote, the public broadcasters adopted the new rules presented by the EBU two weeks ago with a two-thirds majority. A separate vote on Israel would only have been necessary if this motion had been rejected.
Following Israel’s decision to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), several countries have announced a boycott of the 2026 music competition. The broadcasters from Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands announced this reaction in the evening. (sda)