Ireland's public broadcaster RTÉ said it will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna if Israel is permitted to participate, citing what it called the "ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza," the targeted killing of journalists and the plight of hostages held by Hamas.
RTÉ said its position was conveyed following discussions at the European Broadcasting Union's (EBU) General Assembly in July, where a number of member broadcasters raised concerns about Israel's participation. The EBU opened an "extensive consultation process" and extended an option for members to withdraw without penalty until December; RTÉ said its final decision will be made once the EBU issues a ruling.
In a statement, RTÉ said it "feels that Ireland's participation would be unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza." The broadcaster added it was "deeply concerned by the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza, and the denial of access to international journalists to the territory, and the plight of the remaining hostages." RTÉ did not set a formal withdrawal deadline beyond the EBU's consultation timetable.
The 2026 contest is due to take place in Vienna after Austrian singer Johannes Pietsch won the 2025 competition. Ireland is one of Eurovision's most successful participants, having won seven times, and in 2025 Israel finished second overall.
RTÉ's announcement comes against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions and mounting international criticism of Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip. The war began after a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed about 1,200 people in Israel and saw around 251 people taken hostage, according to widely reported figures. The subsequent Israeli military campaign has led to heavy Palestinian casualties: more than 64,700 Gazans have been reported killed, and a UN-backed report found famine to be widespread in parts of the territory.
Humanitarian concerns have included allegations that Israeli forces have targeted journalists and restricted access by international reporters to Gaza. RTÉ referenced the killing of journalists in its statement and the denial of access to international media. Prominent Al Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif was among journalists whose deaths have been cited in reporting on the conflict.
The conflict has also expanded beyond Gaza in recent weeks. Israel carried out strikes on other countries in the region, including an attack on Qatar that killed at least six people and drew sharp criticism from Gulf leaders. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar's prime minister, told CNN the strike had undermined hopes for mediation to secure the release of hostages, saying it "killed any hope" for those families relying on diplomatic channels.
Thousands of Palestinians have sought to flee Gaza City in recent days amid preparations by the Israeli military for a wider offensive in the area. Humanitarian groups and local authorities have warned of shortages of food and medical supplies; Hamas-run Gaza health authorities have said around 400 people have died of malnutrition.
The EBU, which organizes the Eurovision Song Contest and sets its rules for participation, has not yet announced whether it will permit Israel to compete in 2026. Any EBU decision could affect other member broadcasters that have signalled objections or sought the option to withdraw.
RTÉ's statement marks one of the clearest public moves by a Western public broadcaster to use participation in a major cultural event as leverage over a political and humanitarian crisis. Eurovision historically has been framed as a nonpolitical cultural competition, but this episode underscores how international cultural events can become entangled with geopolitical conflicts.
For now, Ireland's presence at the Vienna contest remains conditional on the EBU's forthcoming ruling and whether Israel will be allowed to take part.