ESC 2026 in Vienna: Israel is allowed to participate

Israel is allowed to participate in the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna 2026. This clarification of the long-disputed question was provided by the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in Geneva. Accordingly, on Thursday, the member broadcasters adopted a package of rule changes communicated in advance, which ensures the impartiality of the competition - and at the same time the participation of all EBU members who wish to do so. This clears the way for Israel.

"This voting result shows the commitment of our members to protect the transparency and trust in the Eurovision Song Contest, the largest music competition in the world," said EBU President Delphine Ernotte Cunci in a statement.

ORF Director General Weißmann pleased with Israel's participation

ORF Director General Roland Weißmann reacted joyfully to the decision in a statement, reiterating that TV stations, not governments, participate in the ESC: "In recent weeks, I have personally advocated for the participation of Israel's public broadcaster and welcome that KAN will be part of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. In the spirit of a lived cultural dialogue and to support and strengthen the democratic role of public broadcasters as such, it was important not to burn bridges here. The concerns of some EBU members were taken very seriously and addressed with new and adapted rules, which were adopted by the EBU General Assembly by a majority."

If individual broadcasters now decide against participation, he would naturally deeply regret this. Alongside the EBU's announcement, the first withdrawal of a TV station was already made. The Netherlands will definitely not participate in the competition in Vienna, announced the broadcaster Avrotros in a statement.

Netherlands definitely not participating in Vienna

"The EBU has acknowledged the political interference that occurred during the last edition and announced further measures to prevent a recurrence. However, these measures do not undo what happened during the last Song Contest," said Avrotros. They referred to the humanitarian suffering in the Gaza Strip and the restriction of press freedom by Israel: "This remains crucial for us, regardless of the steps that have been taken since." As a public broadcaster, they have the responsibility to uphold core values, even when it is difficult, said Avrotros General Director Taco Zimmerman.

Mayor Ludwig Welcomes Vote

Support for the decision from Geneva came via a statement from Vienna's Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) as a representative of the host city for the contest: "Israeli artists should and will always be able to perform with us. In general, I am skeptical about the boycott of artists - especially when it concerns their origin. From my point of view, nothing stands in the way of a successful ESC now."

Oskar Deutsch, President of the Jewish Community of Vienna, also expressed his delight in a post on X: "Diversity wins! We look forward to a wonderful music festival in Vienna and congratulate ORF, which will be a fantastic host for this international event."

ESC Withdrawal from Other Countries Uncertain

Thus, Israel will participate in the 70th Eurovision Song Contest, which will take place with the two semifinals on May 12 and 14 and the grand finale on May 16 at the Vienna Stadthalle. However, it remains uncertain whether other nations will withdraw after the Netherlands, as other countries like Spain, Ireland, or Belgium had questioned their participation should Israel not be excluded from the ESC.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.