Iceland to boycott Eurovision over Israel's participation

Iceland has announced it is boycotting adjacent year's Eurovision implicit Israel's information successful the competition.

The announcement from Iceland's RUV follows withdrawals by broadcasters from the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia.

Israel's spot successful the contention was confirmed astatine a wide assembly held by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises Eurovision, past week.

In a statement, RUV said information of Israeli nationalist broadcaster KAN had "created disunity" among members of the EBU and the wide public.

After disapproval of Israel taking portion amid the warfare successful Gaza, and allegations that voting earlier this twelvemonth had been manipulated successful favour of their contestant, EBU members were asked to ballot successful a concealed ballot connected whether they were blessed with tougher caller rules, without going up with a 2nd ballot connected information for 2026.

The bulk agreed they were blessed with the changes, though Sky News understands 11 countries were against accepting these without a further vote.

Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS, Spain's RTVE, Ireland's RTE and Slovenia's RTV instantly issued statements announcing their withdrawal.

However, Austria, which volition big adjacent year's show, said it was pleased with the decision. Roland Weissmann, director-general for Austrian broadcaster ORF, said the contention was a "competition for broadcasters, not governments".

The BBC, which broadcasts the contention successful the UK, besides said it supported the decision.

Earlier connected Wednesday, Poland's TVP confirmed its participation.

In a statement, the broadcaster said it was alert of the standard of the hostility surrounding the contention and understood the emotions and concerns raised.

"However, we judge that Eurovision inactive has a accidental to erstwhile again go a abstraction filled with music. And lone music," a TVP statetment said.

Despite immoderate unit from the taste national successful Belgium for a boycott, broadcaster RTBF besides confirmed its information past week.

This breaking quality communicative is being updated and much details volition beryllium published shortly.

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