The Spanish Broadcasting Authority has announced that Spain may choose not to participate in the Eurovision contest if Israel takes part, amidst ongoing violence in Gaza.
If Israel participates, Spain will join the ranks of Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland, and the Netherlands, who have taken a similar stance.
Spain stands out as the first among the five major nations, often referred to as the “Big Five” (Spain, the UK, France, Italy, and Germany), to issue a threat of withdrawal.
These nations automatically qualify for the Eurovision finals, owing to their substantial financial contributions to the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the event.
The board of the Spanish Broadcasting Authority expressed hope that the European Broadcasting Union will decide to exclude Israel from the contest during the upcoming general assembly in December.
The Spanish channel issued a statement indicating, “If the union members decide to retain the Israeli channel in the competition, the Spanish Broadcasting Authority will have no choice but to carry out its threat to withdraw for the first time in history.”
Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun stated on Monday, “We must ensure that Israel does not participate in the next Eurovision, and if that does not happen, Spain should not take part either.”
In the last European Song Contest, the official Spanish broadcaster challenged the organizing body by airing a message of support for the Palestinian people just before coverage of the event.
In May, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stressed the importance of excluding Israel from Eurovision, the world’s largest talent competition, in solidarity with the “Palestinian people suffering from the absurdity of war and bombing.”
In recent months, Spain has emerged as a vocal critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government within the EU, alongside Ireland and Norway, and is regarded as a longstanding supporter of the Palestinian cause, having recognized the state of Palestine on May 28, 2024.
On Sunday, the Prime Minister praised pro-Palestinian protests that disrupted the Vuelta a España cycling race, leading organizers to shorten the event, as thousands of demonstrators invaded the racecourse in central Madrid.
Sánchez also asserted that Israel should not compete in “any international competition… as long as the brutality continues” in Gaza.