Broadcasters in Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia told contest organizer the European Broadcasting Union last week that they will not take part in the contest in Vienna in May after organizers declined to expel Israel over its conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza.

Ireland, Netherlands, Spain and Slovenia say they won't take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest after Israel was cleared to participate.

Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and The Netherlands will boycott next year's song competition in protest of the decision.

Iceland is now the fifth country to drop out of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 as part of a growing wave of boycotts after Israel is still allowed to compete. The various countries point out that Russia is banned for its war in Ukraine and they believe Israel should receive the same fate over its

Russia was barred from participating in Eurovision in February 2022 — one day after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At the time, the EBU cited the "unprecedented crisis" in Ukraine, and said including a Russian entry in that year's contest would "bring the competition into disrepute".

A former Irish Justice minister has accused RTE of pulling out of the Eurovision song contest "in a hissy fit" because it was unable to persuade other countries to ban Israel.