Eurovision 2026 may still be another eight months away, but the participation of Israel in the competition has become a huge bone of contention in recent years. Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party, now wants the BBC to take a firm and principled stance on the matter.
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Should Israel be allowed to compete in Eurovision?
It comes as leading international bodies and a collective of scholars have branded Israel’s military activity inside Palestine as ‘genocide’. This, however, is at odds with an assessment published by the UK government this week, which firmly denies this is the case.
The statement from Labour officials has irked many of those who are critical of the IDF’s operation, which has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths and the killing of dozens of journalists within Gaza. Israeli officials continue to reject these claims, however.
Israel participation overshadowing Eurovision again
Since the gruesome events of 7 October 2023, Eurovision has found itself as something of a political hot potato. The last two contests have seen increased scrutiny over Israel’s participation – a controversy which boiled over earlier this year, when the nation finished second.
Despite a luke-warm reception for their performance from official judges, phone-in votes significantly boosted Israel’s vote share, creating another logistical headache for organisers. Unfortunately for them, the chaos for 2026 appears to have started early.
BBC told to take a leaf out of RTE’s book
Irish broadcaster RTE announced earlier this week that they would withdraw their coverage of next year’s competition if Israel was given the go-ahead to perform. Polanski, recently elected to the top position within the Green Party, is now calling for the BBC to follow suit.
“Eurovision is supposed to stand for peace, shared humanity, and lots of fun. But these values cannot coexist with complicity in genocide.”
“By standing alongside Israel’s state broadcaster, the BBC would not only be ignoring the mass killing of civilians, but it would also be turning its back on journalists being silenced and murdered for telling the truth. That is indefensible.” | Zack Polanski