Iceland becomes latest country to back out of Eurovision over Israel’s participation
State broadcaster RÚV had said in September that the country's participation was uncertain.
The controversy surrounding Israel taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 has continued to spiral ever since the European Broadcast Union (EBU) cleared the not-quite-European country’s participation during a December 4 meeting at their Geneva headquarters.
The latest in a string of protest actions has come from Switzerland, where the contest’s 2024 champion, Nemo, has decided to return their trophy to organisers in protest of the platform being “used to soften the image of a state accused of severe wrongdoing”.
In a video posted on Instagram on Thursday, the musician said there was a “clear conflict” between Eurovision’s values of “unity, inclusion and dignity for all” and the EBU’s decision to allow Israel to compete. They said these values were what made the contest meaningful, adding, “I no longer feel this trophy belongs on my shelf”.
Citing the findings of the United Nations’ Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which declared that Israel was guilty of genocide in Gaza, Nemo said, “it should be clear that something is deeply wrong” when whole countries are choosing to boycott the event.
The musician said they hoped to send the EBU a very clear message, “Live what you claim. If the values we celebrate onstage aren’t lived offstage, then even the most beautiful songs lose their meaning.”
Meanwhile, a group of 17 artists participating in Portugal’s Festival da Canção — the programme to select the country’s entry for Eurovision — have said they will refuse to take part in the international competition if they are selected and Israel is competing, Euronews reported.
“With words and with songs, we act within the possibilities we are given. We do not accept complicity with the violation of Human Rights,” the artists said in a joint statement. “Despite Russia’s ban from Eurovision 2022 for political reasons (the invasion of Ukraine), we were surprised to see that the same stance was not taken towards Israel, which, according to the United Nations, is committing acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.”
Despite state broadcaster RTP’s decision to participate in the song contest, calls for Portugal to boycott persist, with 2019 winner Salvador Sobral — the only Portuguese artist to have won — calling the broadcaster out for “political cowardice” in a video shared on Instagram on December 5.
RTP has said it will continue to host the Festival da Canção and participate in Eurovision “regardless of the decision of the artists”.
So far, Ireland, Slovenia, Spain, the Netherlands and Iceland have decided not to participate in Eurovision to protest Israel’s participation. This year’s winner, Austria’s JJ, has also said he wished to see the contest be held without Israel when his home country hosts it in May.
Cover photo: Reuters