A major shift? The EBU now lets countries withdraw without financial penalty until December—potentially due to Israeli participation, with a decision expected at that time.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which stirred controversy last week by releasing a video about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, appears to be changing its approach. In a rare move, the EBU has extended the deadline for penalty-free withdrawal from Eurovision from October to December, coinciding with when the decision about Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026 will be made.
According to a Ynet report, the EBU’s new timeline lets broadcasters withdraw from the contest without financial penalty until December—a move likely intended to accommodate those wanting to reconsider if Israel is approved to compete. This flexibility seems designed to ease concerns for countries opposed to Israel’s participation.
So far, only Slovenia and Iceland have threatened to withdraw if Israel participates. Notably, Iceland recently confirmed its Eurovision 2026 participation. Other countries viewed as critical of Israeli involvement in the EBU include Spain (which has confirmed), Belgium, and Ireland (still unconfirmed).
Backing Israel in EBU deliberations were Germany (the biggest financial contributor), host Austria, Switzerland, Cyprus, and Greece. Reports indicate Germany and Italy even threatened to withdraw if Israel were banned, and without their support, the contest would face serious financial strain, especially compared to the impact of smaller countries like Slovenia and Iceland. Austria’s status as host and Vienna’s willingness to actively support the Israeli delegation’s security also strengthen Israel’s case.
Currently, there’s no official decision on suspending Israeli membership in the EBU or barring Israel from Eurovision. Notably, EBU critiques (like the recent video) have targeted the Israeli government rather than the national broadcaster (“KAN”), which is viewed as fairly independent and occasionally critical of the government, reinforcing its legitimacy within EBU
Given the ongoing tension around the issue, it is difficult to predict developments in the coming months. However, the prevailing assessment is that until any official decisions are reached, Israel’s participation in Eurovision remains secure for now.
Israel at Eurovision 2025
“New Day Will Rise” is the song performed by Yuval Raphael, who was chosen to represent Israel after winning the 11th season of “The Next Star.” Israel advanced to the final after winning the second semi-final with 203 points and finished second overall with 436 points in the grand final. Israel ranked first in the public vote but only 14th with the jury. This marks the third consecutive year that Israel has reached the top five – an unprecedented achievement.
Eurovision 2025: This was Israel’s 47th participation in Eurovision. Israel joined the contest in 1973 and has won four times. Its most recent victory was at Eurovision 2018 with the song “Toy”, performed by singer Netta Barzilai.
