Overview

• Beate Meinl-Reisinger sent an urgent letter to counterparts in countries threatening to withdraw, arguing a boycott would stifle dialogue without improving conditions in Israel and Gaza.
• Public broadcasters or governments in Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Slovenia and Iceland have signaled they may skip Vienna 2026 if Israel competes, with Spain’s potential exit especially consequential as a Big Five funder.
• The European Broadcasting Union says eligibility rests on the editorial independence of member broadcasters and has indicated Israel’s Kan meets that standard ahead of a December General Assembly vote.
• Germany’s culture minister Wolfram Weimer condemned exclusion calls as “Cancel Culture,” warning the contest should not become a stage of ostracism.
• Jewish organizations, including the Jewish Claims Conference, describe exclusion demands as distressing and evidence of double standards, while Russia’s state-backed Intervision launched in Moscow with 20-plus countries, underscoring cultural geopolitics.