“I am pleased that Israel will once again participate in Eurovision, and I hope that the competition will continue to celebrate culture, singing, friendship between nations, and cross-border cultural understanding,” stated Isaac Herzog in a message on his social media page X.
“I am grateful to all our friends who defended Israel’s right to continue contributing and competing in Eurovision. It was a joy to participate in this fight and help where I could. This decision is a highly appreciated gesture of solidarity, fraternity, and cooperation, symbolizing victory over those who seek to silence Israel and spread hatred,” concluded the Israeli president.
Israel will be able to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, scheduled for May in Austria, if they choose, as decided today during the UER general assembly in Switzerland.
Israel deserves to be represented on every stage around the world, a cause to which I am fully and actively committed. I am pleased that Israel will once again participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, and I hope that the competition will remain one that champions culture,…
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) December 4, 2025
According to the UER, in a statement shared late today on the official site of the organization, “all UER members wishing to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 and agreeing to abide by the new rules are eligible to participate.”
UER members, public broadcasters from various European countries, voted today in a secret ballot on whether they were sufficiently satisfied with the new measures and safeguards announced last month, without voting on participation in next year’s event.
“The vast majority agreed that it was unnecessary to conduct a new vote on participation and that the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 should proceed as planned with the additional safeguards in place,” the statement read.
Following today’s vote, public broadcasters from various countries are expected to confirm their participation in the 2026 edition.
According to the UER, “the complete list of participants in the 70th-anniversary edition of the Eurovision Song Contest will be announced before Christmas.”
The General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (UER) confirmed this Thursday that Israel will participate in Eurovision in 2026. Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia have already announced that they will not participate in the competition.
Márcia Guímaro Rodrigues | 17:26 – 04/12/2025
