Amid controversy over Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026, and after Slovenia officially declared withdrawal if Israel competes—Austria, the host country, firmly stands by Israel!
The Director General of the Austrian national broadcaster, Ronald Weissmann, announced in an interview that he “hopes to see Israel participate in the contest.” This statement carries significant weight for Israel, particularly one day after Slovenia, led by Ksenija Horvat, declared it would withdraw if Israel takes part.
Weissmann himself spoke in favor of Israel’s participation at the recent European Broadcasting Union (EBU) assembly, with Austria among the countries supporting Israel—alongside Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, and, according to some reports, also Italy.
The EBU confirmed that its 95th General Assembly will take place in Geneva on December 4–5. It has not yet been confirmed whether a vote on Israel’s participation in Eurovision will occur, but it is assumed the matter could be raised on December 4, the first day of the assembly, which is typically devoted to formal discussions.
No Official Request to Exclude Israel
This week, the Dutch broadcaster RTL Nieuws revealed that no national broadcaster has officially submitted a request to exclude Israel from the contest. The broadcaster also reported that the EBU continues to hold discussions with broadcasters across Europe in order “to gain a clearer picture of their stance regarding participation in Eurovision.”
On the same day, ynet disclosed that the EBU extended the withdrawal deadline without penalty until December, pending its decision regarding Israeli participation. This move may be a preparatory measure to ease the path for countries wishing to withdraw if Israel remains in the contest. Slovenia has already indicated that it will take advantage of this option and has, in practice, declared its withdrawal should Israel compete in Eurovision 2026.
Austria Stands Firm with Israel
Austria has countered the rising wave of anti-Israel sentiment, affirming as host nation its wish for Israel to compete. Regarding Israel’s chances of participating, Weissmann stated that, as of now, he believes Israel will indeed appear in Eurovision 2026, though uncertainty remains until December: “There are opponents and there are supporters.”
The hope is that the voices of influential nations—particularly the host country and two of the contest’s leading participants—will ultimately carry greater weight in the final decision.
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 “HaKokhav HaBa”. 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.
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Avi Zaikaner is an editor-in-chief, content creator, commentator, and international expert on all things related to the Eurovision Song Contest. Avi has followed the contest for nearly 30 years, and for the past seven years has served as the founder and editor-in-chief of EuroMix, one of the top Eurovision websites in the world, with over 1.5 million users annually.
Since 2021, Avi has provided on-the-ground coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest from the press center in the host city, bringing readers exclusive firsthand experiences, professional analysis, and direct reactions from audiences, artists, and experts. His extensive experience and deep familiarity with the Eurovision world are reflected in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date information.
Avi is recognized as a leading Eurovision opinion maker in Israel, frequently interviewed by major media outlets, collaborating with international experts, and publishing professional content on additional platforms. Every article is written with a commitment to accuracy, transparency, and understanding the audience, with a strong emphasis on fact-checking and presenting a diverse range of opinions.
