Spanish national broadcaster officially votes to boycott Eurovision over Israel
Spanish national broadcaster officially votes to boycott Eurovision over Israel
Spain's national broadcaster has officially voted to boycott the next Eurovision song contest if Israel is allowed to compete.
The move, which both the government and the broadcaster had suggested was imminent, means RTVE joins the Netherlands', Ireland's and Slovenia's national broadcasters in refusing to take part over Israel's genocide in Gaza.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs the contest, is set to decide at a general assembly meeting in December whether to exclude Israel.
RTVE said on Tuesday that it would "have to carry out the threat of withdrawing from the contest for the first time in history" if the EBU allowed Israel to participate.
Spain is the first of the so-called Big Five countries - along with UK, France, Germany, and Italy - to have their national broadcaster withdraw over Israel's involvement.
The Big Five contribute the most financially to Eurovision and qualify automatically for each contest.
The next edition of the contest will be the 70th anniversary and is due to take place in May 2026 in Vienna, after Austrian entry JJ won this year's contest with his song Wasted Love.
On Monday, Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun reiterated his country's opposition to Israel taking part.
“We have to ensure that Israel does not take part in the next edition of Eurovision," he said during an interview with Spanish public radio.
"Just as Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands have already done, if we do not succeed in expelling Israel, Spain should not participate."
'Humiliating elimination'?
The staging of Eurovision remains in doubt if mounting anger over the death toll in Gaza - now at more than 64,000 - forces enough countries to pull out.
On Monday, the EBU denied reports in the Israeli media that it had suggested the country could compete at the song contest under a neutral flag or withdraw.
Israeli outlet Ynet reported on Sunday that the EBU had sent an "unofficial" message to Israeli broadcaster Kan, suggesting it either withdraw from the 2026 contest or use a neutral flag to avoid a "humiliating elimination".
Ynet reported that the flag could bear the logo of Kan, which represents Israel at the EBU, to downplay the country's involvement.
However, the EBU told Middle East Eye in a statement that the Ynet story was "false" and that the broadcaster had made no such suggestion, either officially or unofficially, to Kan.
"The EBU has not made any proposals to Kan regarding participation in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. A consultation with the wider EBU membership is ongoing and no decisions will be made until the process concludes," it said.
Last week, MEE asked the UK's Department for Culture, Media and Sport for comment on the controversy, but was told it would not comment and deferred to the BBC, which oversees the UK's involvement in Eurovision.
The BBC also said it would not be commenting.
MEE also contacted French national broadcaster France TV, but received no response.
