Jewish Entertainment Group Says Ireland, Spain’s Eurovision Boycott Over Israel’s Admittance ‘Would Only Punish Their Own’

Jewish entertainment nonprofit Creative Community for Peace denounced Thursday boycotts against the Eurovision Song Contest from a number of countries, including Ireland and Spain, after Israel was cleared to participate in the 2026 competition.

“The entertainment community is appalled by threats from several countries to withdraw, which would only punish their own citizens and fans of the contest,” a spokesperson for the group said in a statement. “We urge them to reconsider and uphold Eurovision’s core principle: to unite people and the world through a shared love of music.”

The European Broadcasting Union cleared Israel for admittance to the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest on Thursday after meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, and declining to hold an official vote on the matter. Response was swift from Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands and Slovenia, who all stated they would not participate in the 70th edition, citing Israel’s military conflict in Gaza. The competition is scheduled for Vienna, Austria, in May 2026.

“We would like to express our serious doubts about the participation of Israeli broadcaster KAN in Eurovision 2026,” secretary general of Spanish broadcaster RTVE Alfonso Morales said in a statement. “The situation in Gaza, despite the cease-fire and the approval of the peace process, and Israel’s use of the contest for political purposes, make it increasingly difficult to maintain Eurovision as a neutral cultural event.”

Morales acknowledged the European Broadcasting Union’s passage of new competition rules to stop governments of participating nations from influencing Eurovision’s voting process, but emphasized, “We consider these measures insufficient.”

In a statement obtained by the New York Times, Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ said competing alongside Israel was “unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there.”

A union vote on Israel’s participation was initially set in September, but later postponed after Israel and Hamas called a cease-fire in Gaza. The decision came after Israeli participants Eden Golan in 2024 and Yuval Raphael in 2025 have been met with protests at the international competition and harassment on social media.

Creative Community for Peace was among the many Jewish organizations and figures in the entertainment industry to applaud the European Broadcasting Union’s decision.

“The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the majority of its member states made the right decision to maintain Israel’s place in the Eurovision Song Contest and refuse to yield to pressure from the anti-Israel boycott movement,” a spokesperson for the org said, adding that the competition “highlights the unifying power of music and brings people together from all backgrounds.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog also commended the broadcasting group’s decision, stating in a social media post Thursday that “Israel deserves to be represented on every stage around the world.”

Israel deserves to be represented on every stage around the world, a cause to which I am fully and actively committed. I am pleased that Israel will once again participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, and I hope that the competition will remain one that champions culture,…

— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) December 4, 2025

Read the Creative Community for Peace statement in full below:

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the majority of its member states made the right decision to maintain Israel’s place in the Eurovision Song Contest and refuse to yield to pressure from the anti-Israel boycott movement. 

It is for this reason that more than 400 entertainment leaders, including Helen Mirren, Liev Schreiber, and Boy George, signed Creative Community for Peace’s open letter last year supporting Israel’s continued participation and rejecting efforts to turn Eurovision into a political weapon. 

Scooter Braun noted, “Artists should never be discriminated against for who they are, who they love, or where they’re born. These boycott efforts do nothing but distract from the uplifting and unifying power of music—something we need now more than ever.” 

Gene Simmons echoed this sentiment, saying, “Music unites people from all backgrounds. It’s the one language that everyone can understand. Those advocating to exclude Israelis from Eurovision don’t move the needle toward peace—they only further divide the world.” 

Israel also has a long and celebrated history in Eurovision, which includes winning the Contest in 1978, 1979, 1998, and 2018 and having a diverse group of contestants representing the country, including Palestinians, Ethiopians, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Every year, millions across Europe and around the globe join in this extraordinary celebration of cultural exchange—one that highlights the unifying power of music and brings people together from all backgrounds. 

This is why the entertainment community is appalled by threats from several countries to withdraw, which would only punish their own citizens and fans of the Contest. 

We urge them to reconsider and uphold Eurovision’s core principle: to unite people and the world through a shared love of music.

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