Eurovision

Iceland, which has never won the song contest, will join Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia in their boycott of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest.

Notably, Germany opposed various sanctions proposals in the EU. It is one of the few countries Israel can count on to at least abstain from one-sided UN General Assembly resolutions.

At a meeting on Thursday, national broadcasters that make up the European Broadcasting Union cleared Israel to take part in the next contest in May

European broadcasters boycotting Israel's Eurovision Song Contest participation frame it as moral courage, but the instinct mirrors patterns that shaped early Nazi-era exclusions of Jewish culture.

"If no one was up in arms when Russia began its invasion, and it was exiled from global competitions and Eurovision, then the same should happen with Israel," Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez said.

The Germans, speaking from painful experience, believe that this type of exclusion should never be normalized, and attempts to delegitimize an entire people never end well. The world should listen.

The privilege of representing Israel on the international stage, especially during such a challenging period, is a great responsibility and a source of pride. We are fighting for our country.

The new rules by the European Broadcasting Union discourage governments and third parties from "disproportionately promoting" songs to sway voters.

Yuval Raphael dazzles her Israeli fans in Tel Aviv, performing hits from her Eurovision journey, new EP, and more, with powerful tributes and surprise guests.

Raphael, a Nova Music Festival survivor, sings the theme song for HBO Max's television series One Day in October.