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By Shane Croucher
Senior Editor
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Spanish public broadcaster RTVE said Spain will withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest if Israel continues to participate in the competition.
Newsweek has contacted the Israeli public broadcaster KAN—the country's representative to the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the annual contest—for comment.
The decision is a protest against Israeli actions in Gaza and comes as a United Nations commission concludes that Israel is committing genocide there—an accusation the Israelis deny, saying the report is one-sided and biased.
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There is a growing movement spanning politics, diplomacy, business, culture, and sports to isolate Israel and pile pressure on it to end its war against the militant group Hamas in Gaza, a conflict that has taken a huge toll on the civilian population in the enclave.
But the Israeli government says it must eradicate the security threat Hamas poses after the October 7, 2023, attack that killed around 1,200 civilians and saw dozens of hostages kidnapped back into the Gaza Strip.
Israel blames Hamas for the scale of the destruction in Gaza, saying the group hides behind civilians, uses civil infrastructure for military purposes, and loots humanitarian aid intended for ordinary Gazans.
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Spain Urges EBU to Make Israel Decision
In a statement on Tuesday, September 16, RTVE said Spain is the first Big Five member of the Eurovision—the contest's five largest financial backers—to make the move. It follows similar announcements by Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands.
RTVE said it had "already requested a serious and in-depth debate on Israel's presence in the next edition of the Eurovision Song Contest" at the last European Broadcasting Union (EBU) General Assembly.
"Other countries supported Spain's request," said the RTVA statement. "The Corporation stressed the need for the EBU to find a solution before the next General Assembly, to be held in December."
A spokesperson for the EBU, which administers the contest, earlier said it is consulting with members about how to tackle the Israel issue.
"The consultation with the wider EBU membership is ongoing and no decisions will be made until the process concludes," the spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
The spokesperson said that they "understand the concerns and deeply-held views around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East," but that EBU members are still being consulted "to gather views on how we manage participation and geopolitical tensions around the Eurovision Song Contest."
Spanish PM Calls for Israel Sports Ban
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday called for Israel to be banned from international sports events after pro-Palestinian activists disrupted the final stage of the Vuelta a España cycling race in chaotic scenes in Madrid.
Speaking to members of his Socialist Party, Sánchez compared Israel's military campaign in Gaza to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and said both countries should be barred from competition.
"The sports organizations should consider whether it's ethical for Israel to keep participating in international competitions. Why expel Russia after the invasion of Ukraine and not expel Israel after the invasion of Gaza?" Sánchez said.
"Until the barbarity ends, neither Russia nor Israel should be in any international competition."
Update 9/16/25, 7:15 a.m. ET: This article was updated with more information.
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