4 countries to boycott Eurovision due to Israel’s continued inclusion

[Everexpanding]

In a statement released on Thursday afternoon, the Dutch broadcaster Avrotros said it would also withdraw from next year’s contest. “After weighing all perspectives, Avrotros concludes that, under the current circumstances, participation cannot be reconciled with the public values that are fundamental to our organisation.”

The Slovenian national broadcaster, RTVSLO – the first to threaten a boycott this summer – said participation “would conflict with its values of peace, equality and respect”.

Spain’s culture minister, Ernest Urtasun, backed the decision, adding: “You can’t whitewash Israel given the genocide in Gaza. Culture should be on the side of peace and justice. I’m proud of an RTVE that puts human rights before any economic interest

RTÉ feels that Ireland’s participation remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk,” the broadcaster said in a statement.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/dec/04/ireland-spain-and-the-netherlands-to-boycott-eurovision-2026-as-israel-cleared-to-compete

Yes! I've noticed this too!
Really throws into stark relief some of the views repeatedly expressed on CITME.

I do hear what you’re saying, but it’s difficult to politely say nothing when (some) posters on there confuse the two, ie they seem to conflate any criticism of the Israeli government with someone being pro-Hamas and anti-semitic.
But, you know, I’m sitting on my hands to be polite. And I do think that anti-semitism needs to be tackled in the strongest possible way.

Ireland boycotting Eurovision seems even more pathetic now, given that they have agreed to play Israel in the Nations League later this year. Seems that they only like to take a stand where there are no negative consequences for them.

Israel were drawn with the Republic of Ireland, Austria and Kosovo in League B3 in Thursday's draw.

In November, the FAI overwhelmingly approved a motion to call on Uefa to ban Israel from European club and international competitions.

In a statement following the draw, the FAI said it had consulted with Uefa and sanctions for not fulfilling a fixture could lead to disqualification from the Nations League.

In September, there were reports Uefa may hold a vote on whether to suspend Israel from club and international competition.

However, such a move never materialised and any prospect of that happening receded after the announcement of the Israel-Hamas peace plan for Gaza in October.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c3rzxy2dyrlo

Same story with Basketball ... Ireland-Israel basketball row

In August, Basketball Ireland said it would fulfil EuroBasket qualifiers with Israel after "extensive deliberation" after sanctions were threatened if they did not play the games.

After considering its options, which included a withdrawal from the qualifiers, Basketball Ireland decided to play the two games in November and March but the body informed FIBA, European basketball's governing body, they will only face Israel at a neutral venue.

In a previous encounter, Ireland refused to shake hands with Israel and stood at the side of the court for the national anthems in a 2025 EuroBasket qualifier in February 2024.

When Irish players raised concerns before that qualifier, Israel player Dor Saar said the Ireland team was "quite antisemitic".

Ireland were warned by Fiba for their protest, and players stood for the anthems on court and shook hands with Israel's players in a second EuroBasket qualifier between the sides in Riga that November.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c3rzxy2dyrlo

@Twiglets1 They're run by all different bodies who make their own decisions and have their own autonomy, kind of what happens in a well functioning democracy. They won't be forced by the government to do something hth.

"Ireland" didn't do anything btw the Irish broadcaster RTE made the decision not to attend Eurovision.

I appreciate that they are run by different bodies but people on this thread were saying things like they were proud to be Irish because of boycotting Eurovision.

Sinn Féin criticised the decision. In a statement on Thursday evening, the party’s spokeswoman on culture, communications and sport, Joanna Byrne, said: “In November, the FAI voted to submit a motion to UEFA to ban Israel from its European club and international competitions. That was the correct moral and principled position to take.

“Therefore, I am extremely angry and dismayed that the FAI have confirmed they will play against Israel. It appears that their morals, and principled position, was only on paper – not in actions where it counts.”

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2026/02/12/sinn-fein-calls-for-boycott-of-irelands-israel-fixture-as-uefa-faces-criticism/

Further dilemmas await for countries like Israel and Spain who felt strongly enough against Israel to boycott Eurovision over their inclusion. Will they refuse to play matches in Israel? I doubt it.

In first since Oct. 7, UEFA said to decide to hold soccer games in Israel

The Union of European Football Associations has, in principle, decided to allow Israel to host the league’s soccer games for the first time since October 7, 2023, the Ynet news site reports.

According to the report, the Israel Football Association has received an optimistic message from the league and has been told to prepare to host teams this summer.

UEFA matches were halted indefinitely shortly after the Hamas-led massacre that sparked the war in Gaza, and Israeli teams played all their games in host countries in Europe.

www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/in-first-since-oct-7-uefa-said-to-decide-to-hold-soccer-games-in-israel/

I think people will just twist today narrative to suit themselves. It's just a standalone organisation being independent when it suits one argument, and a manifestation of the spirit of the nation to suit another. Either way it's virtue signalling twattery from the organisations concerned.

I appreciate that they are run by different bodies but people on this thread were saying things like they were proud to be Irish because of boycotting Eurovision.

And I am sure they still are and they also possibly disagree with the FAI's decision on playing Israel in the Nations league - not sure what point you are making, Ireland is a country of 5 million with many different opinions on many different things. You can be proud and happy about a decision or you can be not so proud about another...

Sinn Féin criticised the decision.
Well knock me down with a feather!

It's just a standalone organisation being independent when it suits one argument, and a manifestation of the spirit of the nation to suit another.
You know it can be both. It is a standalone decision by an independent organisation which many support and those same people can also support the independence and autonomy of other organisations to make their own decisions. You can support the independence of the organisation to choose but not the choice they make.

Either way it's virtue signalling twattery from the organisations concerned.

Which organisations are you referring to here? The FAI, Basketball Ireland or RTE

Agree.

It did come across as a manifestation of the spirt of the nation when talking about Eurovision.

Now it seems that the spirit of the nation is to be more pragmatic than the decision by RTE would suggest.

Maybe the 4th post on this thread by @WhereYouLeftIt nailed it. Follow the money.

It did come across as a manifestation of the spirt of the nation when talking about Eurovision.
As it was, majority agreed with it. You will probably find many will disagree with FAI decision to play I am sure it will be debated at length and there will be protests but they have autonomy to make their own decisions as they should.

Now it seems that the spirit of the nation is to be more pragmatic than the decision by RTE would suggest.
You seem to know something I don't know, has there been widespread support from the Irish public on the decision to play?

Follow the money.
Yes if you knew anything about the FAI you would know this rings very true for them.

I was being sarcastic about the spirit of the nation as portrayed by MN users on these threads who seem to like the idea that Ireland is more moral than other nations due to their stance on boycotting Eurovision. At that point they were clearly equating the broadcaster RTE with "Ireland".

Examples of comments from the first few pages of this thread:

As an Irish person I stand with Ireland and the other countries who have boycotted it.

Very proud of Ireland for standing against genocide.

Proud to be Irish

Are you assuming these posters are happy with the recent decision

I very much doubt they are.

who seem to like the idea that Ireland is more moral than other nations due to their stance on boycotting Eurovision
Don't think anyone ever said Ireland were more moral than other nations you are now just making things up to have a dig.

As an Irish person I stand with Ireland and the other countries who have boycotted it.

Very proud of Ireland for standing against genocide.

Proud to be Irish

Fail to see what the issue is with any of those statements. You seem quite triggered by people's pride in their nations citizens and their stance on particular issues

No I am assuming that those that supported the Eurovision boycott will be unhappy to see the FAI have agreed to play Israel in the Nations League.

It makes the Eurovision boycott more of an outlier though and dare I say it, rather pointless as a political point if Ireland are playing Israel in various sports.

UEFA matches could even shortly be played in Israel .

Re your first para
Agree. You’ve got that right along with the majority of the Irish population and those of many countries.

It makes the Eurovision boycott more of an outlier though and dare I say it, rather pointless as a political point if Ireland are playing Israel in various sports.

Don't agree. Most principled people don't make decisions based on what others might or might not do. You make a decision based on what you believe is right surely. If you view that as pointless so be it

I do think it's rather pointless what RTE have done especially in the light of decisions other Irish organisations are making but happy to agree to disagree.

All of these competitions should keep politics out of them - Russia shouldn’t be banned from anything, Israel shouldn’t be banned UNLESS we want to ban the USA too