UK should withdraw from Eurovision if Israel takes part
Musician and songwriter Phil Coulter said Britain should be withdrawn from Eurovision 2026 if England joined.
This will follow the leadership of Irish publisher RTé He said he would not participate if Israel does not “Considering the ongoing and terrible loss of life in Gaza”.
Mr. Coulter said in his decisions to withdraw from the competition that “RTé is 100% behind”, and that both people in England and Ireland were “disgusted with what is happening in Gaza.”
For Eurovision, the UK’s winning song “Puppet on a String”, including singer Jade Thirlwall’un last year, a few songs in a song wrote or wrote a few songs.
BBC refrained from commenting.
RTé will make a final decision after the European Publication Union (EBU) EUROVISION organizer decided.
Yuval Raphael flies the Israeli flag at this year’s song contest in Switzerland [EPA]
Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster’s Günaydın Ulster programMr. Coulter said he felt “very strong” about Ireland not to participate in Eurovision if Israel makes an ongoing conflict in Gaza.
“Musicians, song writers and artists are conscientious people.
“I think the only logical thing and the only good thing for RTé to do, if Israel is allowed to perform performance, to withdraw from the competition.”
The authority said it was a “double standard” where Israel was allowed to participate, and that Russia was fired from 2022 competition due to Russia’s Ukrainian invasion.
“What is the difference between this tragic event and what’s going on in Gaza?” Mr. Coulter asked.
He also said that the BBC should take a position similar to RTé and not to join Eurovision next year.
“I think this is a matter of conscience and RTé takes this step – reflects the feeling of the general people, and I’m sure in the United Kingdom that people are equally disgusting what is going on in Gaza.”
Later, if Israel continued to participate, he wanted to clarify whether the BBC had to withdraw, and he said yes.
‘This is not just a song contest’
Pop singer Dana, who won Eurovision for Ireland in 1970, said, “Not the country or world leaders where ordinary people can come together, not politicians, not politicians, not people,” he said. [Getty Images]
In 1970, the pop singer Dana, who won Eurovision for Ireland with the song “Everything everything”, said, “Not the country or world leaders in which ordinary people can come together and find a safe space, not politicians, not politicians, not politicians.”
“And when we don’t have any words, music can speak,” the program said.
“IT [Eurovision] It was not only a song contest, it was founded after a great conflict and war and persecution to give people a space where people could come together.
“It was really established to bring together different nations to rise over those in political levels. This is not just a song contest.”
Next year’s competition will be held in May in Vienna.
Slovenia’s national publisher Rtvslo said that if he joined Israel, he would withdraw from the competition.
Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Irtasun said that if Israel joined, his country may not be able to participate.
Stefán Eiríkson, Iceland’s national publisher RúV, said that the participation of the 2026 competition is subject to the result of the ongoing consultation process in Ebu due to the participation of Israeli state publisher Kan. “
Mr. Eiríkson added that Rúv’s “Abu does not respond to a satisfactory way, he reserves the right to withdraw from participation.”
Rté said on Thursday, Rté said: “Israel’s participation continues, Ireland’s 2026 Eurovision Song Contest will not participate in the participation of Ireland and the final decision of Ireland will be made after the decision of Ebu,” he said.
“Rté is deeply worried about the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza, the rejection of access to international journalists and the state of the remaining hostages.”
Irish won the competition in total seven times, last in 1996.
Martin Green, Director of Eurovision Song Contest, said Ebu “understands concerns” [Getty Images]
Eurovision Song Contest Director Martin Green CBE said that Ebu “understands concerns and organized in -depth views around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East”.
“We are still consulting all EBU members to gather opinions about the participation and geopolitical tensions around the Eurovision Song Contest and how we manage geopolitical tensions.
“Publishers have to confirm whether they want to participate in the next year’s event in Vienna until the middle of December. It is up to every member to decide whether they want to participate in the competition and we will respect the decisions of the publishers.”
Earlier this year, more than 70 former Eurovision contestants called on organizers to ban Israel since the 2025 competition.
