Will Eurovision Boycott End the Gaza War? Full List of Countries Pulling Out in 2026
Israel has been engaged in the extremely-controversial Gaza War – against their perennial enemies, the Palestinians – since late-2023. These two parties, as well as associated belligerents, have been going at it almost incessantly for almost a century now. So in reality, there isn’t anything unusual about turning on the news and hearing that there’s a bloody conflict going on within the confines of Palestine.
But what makes the Gaza War different, perhaps more than any such struggle that preceded it, is now we’re living in the Information Age. Viewers are more informed than ever. And now, being more educated in the history of Israel versus the Palestinians, many have chosen sides with the latter.
Masses of outsiders have come to sympathize with Palestinians as being akin to victims of colonialism, at the hand of the Israelis. It’s a very touchy topic, one that has led to protests, in support or against whatever side, in various parts of the world, besides within Israel itself.
The sentiment in Europe has, in large part, been in support of the Palestinians. From about the time the Gaza War started, Europeans began coming out en masse, voicing their disagreement towards what they view as the lopsided dynamics of the conflict. Such uprisings are not as common now as they were in 2023 and 2024. But there remains a strong belief that Israel needs to ease up on the much-weaker Palestinians. And those sentiments have now come to affect Eurovision, the top song contest in the world.
WHY ARE THE ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS FIGHTING?
Most simply put, this beef is akin to a land dispute. The Israelis, due to religious and hereditary factors, feel they have a right to stake claim over Palestine. The problem is that there’s already a prominent group of people populating the landscape, that being the Palestinians. So basically, the Israelis have been exerting their dominance over Palestine, largely through military force, while the Palestinians doggedly resist.
The Israeli population in Palestine has been steadily expanding their territory, at the expense of Palestinians, since the State of Israel came into being in 1945. One of the last frontiers, if you will, is a coastal territory known as the Gaza Strip.
The Gaza Strip is an area that masses of Palestinians have been more or less relegated to. Though far from ideal in size and infrastructure, it’s been considered a relative safe haven from Israeli aggression. Well, that is up until recently, as the attack which sparked the Gaza War has emboldened Israel to launch an offensive therein that has now lasted a couple of years.
WHAT IS EUROVISION?
Officially, Eurovision is actually called the “Eurovision Song Contest”. Many people outside of Europe may not know much about this event, but it is very popular within the orbit of that continent.
Basically, respective countries select singers to represent them. These representatives then compete against each other, with the winner’s country hosting the next edition of Eurovision, besides the winner(s) him/herself receiving a massive boost in popularity.
One of the reasons this competition isn’t as wildly popular the world throughout is because A list singers, though eligible, aren’t privy to participate. That said, past winners include ABBA and Celine Dion, though before either of those acts became music legends.
WHY IS ISRAEL, AN ASIAN COUNTRY, PARTICIPATING IN EUROVISION?
The overwhelming majority of countries that participate in Eurovision are in fact from Europe. And again, this contest, which has been ongoing since 1956, is taken very seriously in that part of the world.
However, the criteria for participation is not that a nation be situated in Europe but rather a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). As such, there have been a few countries outside of the continent – such as Australia, Turkey and even Morocco – that have competed.
Israel, which is officially in Asia, has competed pretty much annually since 1973. And throughout the years, the Israelis have brought home the trophy an impressive four times, with their most recent win being in 2018. The State of Israel wants to bring home the gold just as much – some would even say more so these days – than as any other nation.
2025 EUROVISION PROTESTS AGAINST ISRAEL
Protests against the Gaza War aren’t as widespread as they were earlier. But as the conflict wages on, some critics are experiencing what may be termed as a sort of Gaza fatigue. They may no longer hit the streets but still voice their frustrations when circumstances allow, i.e. when they know the world is watching.
One such opportunity is an event as widely viewed as Eurovision. For example, in 202, a whopping 163 million people tuned in to watch the contest. And during this year’s competition that number has even increased, to a record-breaking 166 million spectators.
Israel was once again in the mix and did very well at Eurovision 2025, finishing in second place. But interestingly, that impressive showing did not come without controversy which is unrelated to the war.
The Israeli performer, Yuval Raphael, finished second largely as a result of dominating the popular vote. Some pundits have alleged a conspiracy in that regard, i.e. Israel going out of its way to manipulate public opinion in her favor, besides other tactics.
Interesting to note that Raphael is actually a surviving victim of the aforementioned terrorist attack which sparked the Gaza War. In any event, the unexpectedly-successful showing of her song, “New Day Will Rise”, helped brew some of the Eurovision beef that followed.
NO 2026 EUROVISION, NO CRY
There had been relatively scant protests against Israel’s involvement in Eurovision 2025 while the contest was ongoing. Perhaps most notably Nemo, who won on behalf of Switzerland in 2024, voiced his/her opinion that the Israelis should not be allowed to participate. Those protests were related to the Gaza War. But more recently, heading into next 2026, the outcry has become more pronounced.
As the war continues with no end in sight, some countries have adopted a more direct position against the bloodshed. And most notably, their discontent has been aimed at Israel.
It isn’t uncommon for the State of Israel to be condemned, even by allies sometimes, due to what many perceive as heavy-handed military tactics when dealing with Palestinians. The United Nations, which is regularly at odds with the Israelis, also continues to chime in. So perhaps it was only a matter of time before sh*t hit the fan and Eurovision. And hit the fan it has, in what experts are calling “the biggest crisis in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest”.
2026 EUROVISION VS. ISRAEL
The 2026 edition of Eurovision is slated to begin next May. Early this December, heading into the New Year, four countries decided to boycott against allowing Israel to participate. These actions were spurred primarily, in an unspoken way, by the ongoing war. But also, to reiterate, many people had issues with the way Israel managed to finish second in 2025.
So as of December 5th, four European countries – Slovenia, Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands – had let it be known that they won’t be participating next year. From a financial standpoint, the withdrawal of Spain especially is notable, as it is amongst the “Big Five” sponsors of Eurovision. Meanwhile, Ireland holds the record (alongside Sweden) of having won the most Eurovision song contests, and the Dutch have brought home the trophy five times. So these withdrawals are major, and they were joined shortly thereafter by a fifth nation, Iceland.
To put this in further context, 37 countries, which is about the annual average, participated in Eurovision 2025. So already, about a sixth of next year’s contestants have pulled out. And all things considered, that number will likely increase before next May.
According to the EBU, officially this drama is due to Israel’s aforementioned tactics in securing votes. But as the BBC puts it, “festering tension over Israel’s conduct during the war in Gaza” is also a major contributor.
Meanwhile, in December of 2025, the aforementioned Nemo decided, in protest, to return his/her Eurovision trophy back to the EBU. And s/he specifically did so in protest against the ongoing war, i.e. considering Israel as the primary aggressor.
WHAT LIES IN THE FUTURE?
A couple of countries, Sweden and Belgium, have committed to remaining in Eurovision 2026 nonetheless. But the expectation is that more will boycott by the time all is said and done.
Based on established precedent, it’s unlikely that countries withdrawing from a song contest, even the biggest in the world, are going to stop the Gaza War. But maybe these protests will cause Israel to rethink how it’s handling the Gaza situation. But more likely, they will lead to the EBC instituting new rules related to how countries campaign for their respective artists at Eurovision.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR EUROVISION FANS
For fans who love the glitter and the sense of European unity, this would surely be a bittersweet moment. This is because on one hand, Eurovision is at its best when it’s about music and cultural exchange. On the other, you can’t ignore the reality that the stage is also a political platform. Now if the boycott continues to grow, we could see one of the most divided Eurovision contests in history. Imagine a final without Spain or Ireland or the Netherlands. These are countries that have shaped Eurovision’s identity for decades. It would honestly feel incomplete.
At the same time, this isn’t the first time politics have overshadowed the show. Eurovision has survived Cold War tensions, controversial voting blocs, and even bans. The difference now is like I said earlier is how interconnected we all are. The truth about social media is that it is capable of making every decision louder and harder to ignore.
EUROVISION AND TOURISM
Eurovision is a very a huge driver of tourism there’s absolutely no doubt about that. You see every year, thousands of fans pack their bags and head to the host city. And in so doing, they fill up hotels and local attractions. Cities like Stockholm, Lisbon, and Turin have all seen the “Eurovision effect”, where visitors pour in, not just for the show itself, but to experience the culture and beauty of the host country.
That’s why this boycott is very important to many stakeholders. If major countries like Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia refuse to participate, it significantly changes the entire atmosphere of the event.
For example, fans from those nations may decide not to travel either, which could hit local economies really, really hard. Most travelers must have seen firsthand how events like this transform a city overnight. Airports get busier, public spaces become alive, and most importantly small businesses feel the positive impact of the influx of foreign visitors. If the boycott grows, I can assure you that the contest would not only risk losing just singers and broadcasters but also the cultural exchange that comes with travel.
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