Israel may find itself out of Eurovision: the decision that was made

Following the 2026 Eurovision contest in Vienna, Austria — where Noam Batan almost won by reaching second place, and the singer Dara won with the song "Bangaranga" and brought the contest to Bulgaria for the first time — new and significant decisions are being made ahead of the next contest, which could cause Israel to find itself out of the competition.

As already reported, the city chosen to host the contest is the tourist city of Burgas. Alongside this, a new official rule was approved stating that winning the contest no longer obligates the winning country to host it the following year — something that does not mean much beyond the official anchoring of a practice that has already been implemented in the past in certain cases.

Furthermore, reports from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) headquarters indicate that the 71st Eurovision contest will open on May 11, 2027, with the first semi-final. The second semi-final will take place on May 13, and the final event will be held on May 15.

The main problem: May 11 is the Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers of Israel and Victims of Hostilities. This combination poses another obstacle for Israel, beyond the challenges of hostility and protests that have accompanied the delegation since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip.

To enable its participation, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation will need to ask the European Broadcasting Union to place Israel in the second semi-final. The union has previously granted similar requests, but in light of the hard line and restrictions it has imposed on Israel in recent years, there is a real fear of a cold shoulder and a refusal of the request.