Sawt Falasteen - Eurovision organisers push back Israel decision to December

The European Broadcasting Union's members were due to hold a vote next month, after a growing number of countries threatened to boycott the 2026 TV extravaganza in Vienna unless Israel was excluded over the war in Gaza.

The annual Eurovision Song Contest is world's biggest live music television event. Some 166 million viewers in 37 countries watching the 2025 competition, held in Basel, Switzerland.

The EBU, the world's biggest public service media alliance, said Monday that instead of the special meeting in November announced last month, Israel's participation would be dealt with at its regular gathering in December.

"In the light of recent developments in the Middle East, the EBU's executive board (meeting on October 13) agreed there was a clear need to organise an open and in-person discussion among its members on the issue of participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026," the EBU said in a statement received by AFP.

"Consequently, the board agreed to put the issue on the agenda of its ordinary winter general assembly, which will be taking place in December, rather than organising an extraordinary session in advance."

The last surviving Israeli hostages returned home from Gaza on Monday and a group of Palestinian prisoners were freed under a ceasefire deal spearheaded by US President Donald Trump.

- Israel 2025 runners-up -

Founded in 1950, the EBU has 113 member organisations in 56 countries.

Spain said it would boycott next year's event if Israel took part, and Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands have made similar threats.

Other countries such as Belgium, Sweden and Finland have also been considering a boycott.

Austria, the host country for the 2026 edition, has slammed the boycott calls as "dumb and pointless", while Germany has also accused the countries behind the push of politicising a cultural event.

The past two editions were drawn into the controversy over Israel's devastating war in Gaza.

Pro-Palestinian activists demonstrated in Malmo, Sweden in 2024 and again in Basel last May over Israel's participation.

The EBU defended Israel's inclusion, noting its public broadcaster KAN is a long-time EBU member.

Austria's JJ, whose real name is Johannes Pietsch, won the 2025 song contest with "Wasted Love", blending techno beats with operatic vocals.

The victory earned Austria the right to host the 70th edition of Eurovision.

Israel's entrant Yuval Raphael finished in second place. She survived the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the Gaza war, hiding beneath bodies as Hamas gunmen attacked a music festival, killing hundreds.

J.Saleh--SF-PST