Ireland and four other countries threaten to withdraw from Eurovision if Israel takes part

'RTÉ feels that Ireland’s participation would be unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza.'

The news comes after RTÉ said that Ireland will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel participates.

In recent years, there have been increasing calls for Ireland to boycott the competition on account of Israel's involvement and to show solidarity with the people of Palestine.

As well as Ireland, the Netherlands have said it won't participate in the song contest if Israel are there too, while Spain and Slovenia have threatened to withdraw on the same grounds.

The broadcasters from Spain, Iceland and Sweden have said that they will make a decision on the matter come December, when a general meeting his held between broadcasters to discuss the approaching show.

In a statement, the Dutch national broadcaster AVROTROS said: "Human suffering, the suppression of press freedom and political interference are at odds with the values of public broadcasting.

"AVROTROS can no longer justify Israel’s participation in the current situation, given the ongoing and severe human suffering in Gaza.

"The broadcaster also expresses deep concern about the serious erosion of press freedom: the deliberate exclusion of independent international reporting and the many casualties among journalists. 

"In addition, there is proven evidence of interference by the Israeli government during the most recent edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, in which the event was used as a political instrument.

"This runs counter to the apolitical nature of the Contest. These circumstances are incompatible with the values represented by AVROTROS as a public broadcaster."

In a new statement on Thursday, 11 September, RTÉ said that, at the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in July, a number of EBU members raised concerns about Israel's participation in Eurovision 2026.

The Irish broadcaster also stated that the EBU extended the option to withdraw from the contest without penalty to December.

"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," the statement from RTÉ reads.

The Irish broadcaster said that it feels that Ireland’s participation would be "unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza".

It also stated that it was "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".

You can read RTÉ's statement in full below:

“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.

"RTÉ wishes to thank the EBU for the extensive consultation process that was initiated on foot of that meeting, and the extension of the option to withdraw from participation without penalty to December.

"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.”