Several nations withdraw from Eurovision broadcast over Israeli participation

The 70th Eurovision Song Contest, scheduled for May 12-16, 2026, in Vienna, is facing broadcast boycotts from several national broadcasters due to the inclusion of Israel. Slovenian broadcaster RTV Slovenia announced it will not air the event, opting to replace it with a series titled "Voices of Palestine". Spain’s RTVE and Ireland’s RTÉ have also confirmed they will not broadcast the contest, with Ireland previously confirming its full withdrawal in December. While the Netherlands and Iceland also withdrew from participation, their respective broadcasters, NPO and RÚV, still intend to air the event. The decisions follow the European Broadcasting Union's (EBU) earlier move to permit Israel to participate despite criticism regarding the war in Gaza. The contest features 35 participating countries this year, though it continues to deal with geopolitical tensions following the 2022 expulsion of Russia.