Amid a ceasefire and threats of boycotts, Ronald Weissman, CEO of ORF, reiterates its support for Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026, in Vienna, Austria.
The CEO of Austria’s national broadcaster, Ronald Weissmann, stated in an interview that “this is a time for diplomacy – both behind the scenes and in the open”.
Weissmann, who in recent months emphasized Austria’s national broadcaster ORF support for Israel’s participation in the contest, addressed the threats of withdrawal by several countries should Israel be included:
“I expect many nations to take part in the year Eurovision celebrates its 70th anniversary”.
He added:
“The financial risk is highly manageable. If one or two countries decide not to participate, it’s entirely something we can deal with”.
Weissmann’s statements confirm that ORF is likely to maintain its support for Israel despite any potential boycott calls within Eurovision. This position is particularly significant ahead of the upcoming EBU General Assembly in early December, where the matter of Israel’s participation is expected to arise. At present, it remains unclear whether a formal vote will take place, considering the ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
One unresolved complexity in his remarks concerns the scenario in which major countries such as Spain and the Netherlands follow through on their threats to withdraw, even during the ceasefire. As Spain is one of the Big5 Countries, such a move could pose a more serious economic challenge for the EBU than Weissmann’s comments suggest.
Weissmann himself voiced support for Israel even during the last EBU assembly. Austria was one of several nations — alongside Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, and Italy — reported by European media to have backed Israel’s participation. Among Weissmann’s most striking declarations were those emphasizing Austria’s deep-rooted commitment to Israel:
“ORF unequivocally supports the participation of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation ‘KAN’ in Eurovision, […] I stand by this position and will continue to do so, especially in light of Austria’s history”.
His stance was not merely personal, it was reinforced by an official decision of ORF’s board of directors, which voted overwhelmingly in favor of supporting Israel’s participation. Thus, the corporation’s position became a binding policy. Nevertheless, Weissmann stressed that the final decision ultimately lies with the EBU.
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 357 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 2026: This will be Israel’s 48th 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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Ilay Gaist is a leading Israeli content creator and writer specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He is a well-known commentator with extensive expertise in the contest’s history, rules, and dynamics. His passion for Eurovision drives him to deliver rich, professional, and innovative content to his audience.
Ilay holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and has a multilingual background. He also engages in cultural research, with a particular focus on global culinary traditions and the evolution of local cuisines around the world.
