Eurovision 2026: Slovenia Says It Will Not Compete If Israel Returns For Next Year's Event

Yuval Raphael represented Israel at Eurovision in 2025The controversy around Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest continues to escalate, as one participating country has now said it will not return to the contest unless the Israeli delegation is not invited next year.Israel’s involvement in Eurovision has long been a contentious subject as a result of the political situation in the Middle East, but in the last two years, the conversation has grown louder, with many fans boycotting the contest due to the country’s continued presence, and several participating broadcasters raising their concerns about the situation.Earlier this year, discussions took place among Eurovision’s participating broadcasters about whether Israel should remain part of the contest despite the ongoing war in Gaza, with the situation due to be reassessed in the autumn.The Slovenian broadcaster RTVSLO has now said it will only return to Eurovision next year if Israel is banned, similarly to how Russia has not been invited to take part in the competition since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.Slovenian singer Klemen rehearsing for this year's Eurovision Song ContestRTVSLO’s communication department has now issued a statement, translated by the fansite ESC Today, which said that its decision about whether to return to Eurovision would be made imminently.“By this time, it should be clear whether the EBU will make any decision regarding Israel’s participation and whether it will take into account the comments of several EBU member states regarding the transparency of voting,” they said. “At that time, it will be clear whether [we still want] to participate in this competition.“At the EBU General Assembly, which was held in London at the beginning of July, RTV Slovenia presented its position that if Israel were to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest – due to the genocide in Gaza – it would not participate in the competition.”“The EBU is currently holding talks with its members regarding Israel’s possible participation in the future competition,” they concluded.HuffPost UK has contacted the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) for comment.A host of former contestants and acts associated with the competition – as well as reigning champion JJ from Austria and last year’s winner Nemo from Switzerland, who shared their take on the matter during a recent exclusive interview with HuffPost UK – are also calling for Israel’s expulsion from Eurovision.Austrian performer JJ won Eurovision this year, and has since called for Israel's expulsion from the contestMeanwhile, back in July, it was reported by Israel’s N12 News (as cited by The National) that the national broadcasters for Germany and Italy had threatened to pull out of Eurovision if Israel was not permitted to return to the event in 2026.A spokesperson for Germany’s Südwestrundfunk (SWR) later told HuffPost UK: “The Eurovision Song Contest is a major musical event that has brought people across Europe and beyond together for decades – diverse and respectful, regardless of origin, religion, or belief.“The ESC is a music competition organised by EBU broadcasters, not governments. The Israeli broadcaster KAN adheres to applicable regulations and has been an integral part of the music competition for more than 60 years. We affirm their membership and the core values of the ESC.“We welcome the process initiated by EBU Director General Noel Curran. A former senior TV executive will engage in a structured, open dialogue with the members over the coming months to explore various perspectives and identify courses of action. The goal should be a well-founded and sustainable solution in line with the EBU’s values.”The EBU previously said: “We understand the concerns and deeply held views around the current conflict in the Middle East. The EBU is not immune to global events but, together with our members, it is our role to ensure the Contest remains – at its heart – a universal event that promotes connections, diversity and inclusion through music.“We all aspire to keep the Eurovision Song Contest positive and inclusive and aspire to show the world as it could be, rather than how it necessarily is.”“As a reminder, the EBU is an association of public service broadcasters, not governments, who are all eligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest every year if they meet the requisite requirements,” they added. “It is not our role to make comparisons between conflicts.”MORE EUROVISION NEWS:Germany's Broadcaster Responds To Reports They'll Leave Eurovision If Israel Is BannedReigning Eurovision Winner JJ Calls For Israel To Be Removed From The ContestRemember Monday Speak Out About Getting Zero Points From Eurovision Viewers

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