Eurovision Cancels Emergency Vote on Israel’s 2026 Inclusion After Gaza Ceasefire Breakthrough
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BREAKING: Eurovision Organizers Scrap November Vote on Banning Israel Amid Historic Hostage Swap and Truce – Participation Debate Shifts to December
LONDON, UK – In a dramatic turn influenced by geopolitical developments, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest, has called off a planned emergency vote on Israel’s participation in the 2026 edition of the competition.
The decision comes just weeks after a fragile ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which included the release of the last remaining Israeli hostages from Gaza.
The EBU had scheduled an online extraordinary meeting for November to allow member broadcasters to vote on whether Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan, should be permitted to compete, amid mounting controversy over the country’s involvement in the ongoing Gaza conflict.
This followed a September letter from EBU President Delphine Ernotte Cunci, who noted that the executive board could not reach a consensus on the issue, deeming it unprecedented and warranting a broader democratic process.
However, the recent ceasefire – which ended the two-year war sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack – has prompted a postponement. Under the agreement, Hamas freed the final 20 living Israeli hostages held captive for over two years, in exchange for Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners, including those serving life sentences for murder.
The EBU cited these “recent developments in the Middle East” as the reason for scrapping the November session, opting instead to address the matter at its ordinary Winter General Assembly in December, where members will convene in person.
The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place in Vienna, Austria, hosted by the Austrian broadcaster ORF, which has welcomed the EBU’s decision to delay the vote. Several European countries had previously threatened to withdraw from the event if Israel were allowed to participate, echoing protests that marred Israel’s entry in the 2024 contest in Malmö, Sweden.
The EBU has long maintained a stance of political neutrality, but the Gaza war has tested this principle, with calls for Israel’s exclusion growing louder among artists, fans, and some broadcasters.
While the EBU has not confirmed whether a formal vote will occur in December, it stated that further details will be shared with members in the coming weeks. “The Board agreed to put the issue on the agenda of its ordinary Winter General Assembly,” the organization announced, emphasizing the need for an in-person discussion on participation rules.
Israel’s Kan has not yet responded to requests for comment on the postponement. Advocacy groups on both sides of the conflict have reacted swiftly: Pro-Palestinian campaigners expressed disappointment over the delay, viewing it as a missed opportunity to hold Israel accountable, while supporters of Israel’s inclusion hailed the ceasefire as a step toward de-escalating the Eurovision tensions.
As preparations for the glitzy pan-European music extravaganza continue, the spotlight remains on how the EBU balances its apolitical ethos with global sensitivities. With the December assembly looming, the fate of Israel’s entry – and potentially the cohesion of the contest itself – hangs in the balance.
This story is developing. Updates will follow as more information emerges from the EBU and involved parties.
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