Ireland has announced that it will not participate in Eurovision, nor will it broadcast the contest, despite the European Broadcasting Union’s rule changes this year, which prevent any country at war—in this case Israel—from hosting the festival if it wins.
This was confirmed by the public broadcaster RTÉ, in protest at the inclusion of KAN in the competition, and in support of Palestine. “RTÉ believes that Ireland’s participation cannot be justified given the horrific and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis, which continues to endanger the lives of so many civilians.”
At the same time, they expressed concern about the Israeli authorities’ refusal to permit independent access by international journalists to Gaza.
Ireland was one of the five countries that, like Spain, decided not to participate in 2026. The Netherlands is closer to saying no, and it remains for the rest—Spain, Slovenia, Iceland, or another country—to voice their position.
