Iceland Boycotts 2026 Eurovision Over Israel

Iceland's public broadcaster announced Wednesday that the country will boycott the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, becoming the fifth nation to withdraw in protest over Israel's participation. The decision by RÚV follows intense public debate and joins similar pullouts by broadcasters in Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands, all citing concerns related to Israel's military actions in Gaza.

RÚV's board met on December 10, the deadline for national broadcasters to confirm participation, and voted unanimously against joining the competition set for May in Vienna, Austria. In a statement, the broadcaster explained that the event, which has long aimed to unite the Icelandic public, could no longer fulfill that role amid the controversy. "Given the public debate in this country and the reactions to the decision of the EBU that was taken last week, it is clear that neither joy nor peace will prevail regarding the participation of RÚV in Eurovision," the statement said. It added that repeated concerns raised with the European Broadcasting Union, the event's organizer, had gone unaddressed, leading to the formal notification of withdrawal.

The boycott stems from the EBU's decision...