Summary

Spain joined the Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland and Slovenia in pulling out of this year's contest in Austria in protest over Israel's presence amid the war in Gaza, triggered by Hamas's 2023 attacks on Israel. Ireland and the Netherlands have also announced their boycott of the 2027 showpiece in Bulgaria, with Irish broadcaster RTE citing "the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there". Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,300 people in the devastated Palestinian territory since an October 2025 ceasefire, according to the Gaza health ministry, whose figures are considered generally reliable by the United Nations. José Pablo López, president of Spanish broadcaster RTVE, told a Senate committee on Tuesday that it was "deeply painful" that Israel's public broadcaster would continue to participate in Eurovision "despite everything, and given this situation that is still being experienced in Gaza". In August, Eurovision organisers said they were excluding any country involved in an armed conflict from hosting the competition. The winner usually earns the right to host the following edition, and Israel came close to taking home the trophy in 2025 and 2026. López said there had been "technical progress, but there is also clearly unfinished business on the ethical front". "For this reason, I announce that I will propose to the RTVE board that we maintain the suspension of our participation in Eurovision," López said. Spanish media have reported the board's next meeting will be held by mid-October. Spain is one of the so-called "big five" nations that make the biggest financial contributions to the European Broadcasting Union, the organiser of Eurovision, that automatically qualify for the final of the contest. The Palestinian cause enjoys widespread support in Spain. Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been one of Israel's most virulent critics, labelling its actions in Gaza a genocide.