Spain’s state broadcaster announced it will boycott Eurovision 2026 if Israel competes — joining a growing anti-Israel campaign. Yet despite political pressure, Europe’s public has overwhelmingly voted Israel’s entries to the top, proving that audiences, not boycotts, decide the contest.
Spain has become the first of Eurovision’s “Big Five” founding nations to threaten a boycott of the 2026 contest over Israel’s participation, aligning itself with a wave of broadcasters politicizing what was once a celebration of music.
The decision was made Tuesday by the board of Spain’s state broadcaster RTVE, whose president José Pablo López accused Israel of “genocide” in Gaza — echoing Hamas propaganda while ignoring the reality that the war was triggered by Hamas’s October 7 massacre of Israelis.
Spain’s move follows boycotts announced by Slovenia, Ireland, and the Netherlands, putting political pressure on the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to isolate Israel.
But the facts tell another story:
- At Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Israel’s song New Day Will Rise — performed by Yuval Raphael — finished second place overall.
- Crucially, Israel received 297 points from the public vote, more than any other contestant.
- The juries, stacked with national broadcasters, awarded Israel only 60 points, highlighting the gap between political elites and ordinary Europeans who embraced Israel’s entry.
Even Austria’s winner, singer JJ, initially called for Israel’s suspension but later walked back his comments — a sign of the growing backlash against the politicization of Eurovision.
European officials have floated compromises, including forcing Israel to compete under a neutral flag — a humiliating demand Israel is not expected to accept. Jerusalem’s stance remains clear: Israel will not be silenced, on or off the stage.
Eurovision has always claimed to be “apolitical,” but Israel’s popularity at the ballot box shows the truth: Europe’s people, not its politicians, consistently choose Israel.
Despite boycotts and smear campaigns, Israel remains a cultural powerhouse whose music resonates far beyond the rhetoric of those who seek to erase it.
