Martin Green reveals 70% of EBU members voted for KAN, confirming Israel remains in Eurovision as Canada joins for 2027
Eurovision Executive Supervisor Martin Green granted an extensive interview to the prestigious American entertainment magazine Variety, providing dramatic and poignant statements regarding the most burning issues facing the contest: Israel’s participation and the wave of boycotts, Canada’s historic debut, and rumors of a financial crisis following the withdrawal of several nations.
The Israeli Issue: “The Members Have Spoken Decisively, the Matter is Closed”
Facing repeated calls from various factions to reconsider Israel’s participation or disqualify it from the contest, Green made it unequivocally clear that as far as the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is concerned, the story is over. He revealed that a final decision has been reached by the union’s members, and no new vote is expected on the matter.
“The members have spoken decisively”, Green stated. “Close to 70% decided that they believe public service broadcasters are not responsible for the actions of their governments, and that KAN should be allowed to participate”.
Green emphasized that this overwhelming majority – nearly 70% support for Israel’s continued participation – is based on the fundamental principle that public national broadcasters should not be held responsible for the political or military decisions of state leaderships. Accordingly, the national broadcaster KAN remains a full participant, unquestioned, and without any intentions to bring the issue to a re-vote.
Green brushed off allegations and accusations regarding potential bias or manipulation of the voting process in favor of Israel, clarifying that the voting system undergoes a full, rigorous, and reliable audit, and that there is no evidence of organized or illegal influence on the results.
Boycotts and Withdrawals? “Bollocks”
As a reminder, five veteran countries (Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain) chose not to participate in protest of Israel’s participation. Green completely dismissed rumors that the boycott had driven the contest into financial difficulties or crisis, using the sharp and direct British word “Bollocks”.
He further explained that the Eurovision Song Contest has a robust and stable financial model that has endured for decades and will continue to operate successfully for many years to come. Green also noted that participation in the contest is an annual decision for each national broadcaster, which must notify the EBU by September, making a certain degree of fluctuation in the list of countries completely natural each year. He declined to comment on rumors regarding future withdrawals or returns, but concluded that the latest contest featured 35 countries, and he expects this number to grow ahead of Eurovision 2027, which will be held in Bulgaria.
History: Canada Officially Joins in 2027
Alongside closing the debate on Israel, Green celebrated the sensational international expansion of the brand across the Atlantic Ocean. The Canadian national broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada has been upgraded to full membership status within the EBU, leading to the official announcement that Canada will make its debut at Eurovision 2027.
According to Green, this is a clear sign that the contest, though born in Europe, continues to open its doors to the entire world and become a massive global brand. He even reminded fans that Canada already holds a legendary place in the history of the contest, as the great Canadian star Celine Dion won Eurovision 1988 while representing Switzerland. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has already announced that the country’s first representative will be selected through a national selection.
Israel in Eurovision 2026
“Michelle” is the song performed by the singer Noam Bettan, which represented Israel in Vienna, Austria. Noam Bettan reached the 2nd place in the contest and got 343 points in the final.
Eurovision 2026: This was Israel’s 48th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Israel joined the competition in 1973 and won 4 times.
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Maor Heumann has been writing about the Eurovision Song Contest and following it for over three decades. He has attended five contests and has found something to appreciate in almost every possible musical genre — from the sugary pop entries that finish last in the semi-finals to the quirky avant-garde pieces that even the competition’s juries struggled to connect with. He usually prefers original languages and songs with depth over Swedish-produced English clones — though he doesn’t promise to stick to that rule.
He grew up on the kibbutz of Sara’le Sharon, who instilled in him a love for music and created his first connection to the contest back in 1993 — before most of the current editorial team was even born.
