What to know about the Eurovision Song Contest as Israel's...

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

58% : " Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on social platform X that he was "pleased" Israel will again take part, and hoped "the competition will remain one that champions culture, music, friendship between nations and cross-border cultural understanding.
58% : (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File) FILE - Singer Yuval Raphael, from Israel, holds the national flag during a dress rehearsal for the Grand Final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, May 16, 2025, in Basel, Switzerland.
55% : FILE - Israeli fans cheer for Yuval Raphael, from Israel, after she performed during the semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland, May 15, 2025.
53% : Other countries´ broadcasters, including Norway´s NRK and Britain´s BBC, welcomed the decision to keep Israel in the competition.
42% : A number of performers and countries have called for the exclusion of Israel, which has taken part in Eurovision since 1973, one of a few non-European countries to compete.
40% : " French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said his country opposes a cultural boycott of Israel.
39% : (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File) Tensions rose again after Hamas´ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed some 1,200 people, and Israel´s subsequent campaign in Gaza that has left more than 70,000 people dead.
36% : "I am pleased that Eurovision did not give in to pressure, and that France helped prevent a boycott of Israel in this forum," he wrote on X. "I deeply regret that several European television channels made a different choice.
34% : Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia announced they will not take part in the 2026 contest in Vienna in May after organizers declined to expel Israel over its conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza.
32% : " Icelandic broadcaster RUV, which had recommended Israel be barred, said its chiefs will meet Wednesday to discuss whether Iceland will also walk away.
31% : The Geneva-based European Broadcasting Union - a group of public broadcasters from 56 countries that runs Eurovision - tried to assuage concerns by adopting tougher contest voting rules in response to allegations that Israel manipulated the public vote in favor of its competitor Yuval Raphael.

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