Spain has announced it will boycott the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is allowed to participate, according to public broadcaster RTVE. This marks a significant stance as Spain becomes the first of the “big five” nations to take such action amid ongoing tensions.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes Eurovision, is set to decide on Israel’s participation during its general assembly in December. If the EBU chooses to retain Israeli public broadcaster KAN, RTVE indicated it would follow through on its threat to withdraw from the contest, a historic move.
This decision follows comments from Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun, who stated that Spain should boycott the event in light of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had previously expressed similar sentiments, advocating for Israel’s exclusion from international events due to its actions in Gaza, paralleling Russia’s exclusion since its invasion of Ukraine.
“What we cannot allow is double standards in culture,” Sanchez remarked in May after the last Eurovision edition.
In a related incident, Sanchez called for Israel to be banned from international sports following protests in Madrid that led to the cancellation of the Vuelta a España cycling race, which was disrupted by demonstrators opposing the participation of the Israel-Premier Tech team.
Eurovision is recognized as the world’s largest live televised music event, with this year’s edition in Basel attracting 166 million viewers across 37 countries. Austrian singer JJ won the competition, granting Vienna the rights to host the 2026 edition.
Other countries, including Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland, and the Netherlands, have also threatened to withdraw from next year’s Eurovision if Israel is allowed to compete.
The five largest financial contributors to the EBU—Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain—automatically qualify for the Eurovision final. In July, the EBU announced it would consult with its members regarding Israel’s participation and how to navigate geopolitical tensions in the contest.
Pro-Palestinian protests have previously occurred in Malmo, Sweden, and Basel, Switzerland, highlighting ongoing controversies surrounding Israel’s involvement in Eurovision.
#Eurovision #Spain #Israel #Boycott #Culture #Protests #Gaza #EBU #MusicEvent #InternationalRelations
