Eurovision Tackles Bitter Issue Of Whether Israel Should Take Part In 2026 Song Contest

“It’s become quite a messy and toxic situation,” a Eurovision expert said.

GENEVA (AP) — Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest, the feel-good pop music gala that draws more than 100 million viewers every year, are meeting Thursday to tackle a bitter and divisive issue: Whether Israel should be allowed to participate in the 2026 competition.

The European Broadcasting Union, a group of public broadcasters from 56 countries that runs the competition, is holding a general assembly, with some countries calling for Israel to be excluded over alleged interference in contest voting and its conduct of the war against the militant Hamas group in Gaza.

Experts predict delegates won’t reach a united position on the issue at EBU headquarters in Geneva and it’s not clear whether a vote will be called. That would mean broadcasters may have to decide, on their own or as a breakaway group, whether to take part as individual countries.

“Eurovision is becoming a bit of a fractured event,” said Paul Jordan, an expert on the contest known as Dr. Eurovision. “The slogan is ‘United by Music’ ... unfortunately it’s disunited through politics.”

“It’s become quite a messy and toxic situation,” he added.