The BBC director general has spoken out after several countries’ national broadcasters announced they would not return to the Eurovision Song Contest next year if Israel is allowed to compete in 2026.
The debate over whether Israel should be allowed to compete in Eurovision has been going on for several years due to the political situation in the Middle East.
However, in the last two years, this conversation has become much more prevalent, leading many Eurovision fans to boycott the contest while Israel is part of it.
Official discussions on whether Israel should be invited back to Eurovision in 2026 are ongoing between the contest’s participating broadcasters , with the conversation set to be revisited in the coming months.
Since then, the national broadcasters of Slovenia, Ireland and the Netherlands have publicly announced that they will pull out of Eurovision next year unless Israel is expelled, similar to how Russia was banned after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Speaking to the Commons Public Accounts Committee on Monday, BBC Director General Tim Davie said he was “very aware of the concerns” about Israel’s participation.
He said (as reported by Standarts ): “Eurovision has never been about politics and should be a celebration of music and culture that brings people together. That’s really important, what we strive for and maintain throughout.”
“But at this stage I support the work of the European Broadcasting Union and they have to deal with it.”
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) refers to the collection of national broadcasters that help put together Eurovision each year.
EBU members will resume discussions on Israel’s participation in Eurovision before the end of this year.
Davy continued: “This is a contest that is about broadcasters from this nation submitting a song, ensuring that the process works properly and is truly apolitical. There are quite a few details to go through with the European Broadcasting Union.”
“Then we, as an independent BBC, will look at it and then we can go from there.”
Earlier this month, Eurovision provided HuffPost UK with a statement from its director Martin Green that read: “We understand the concerns and deeply understand the views expressed about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. We continue to consult with all EBU members to gather views on how we manage participation and the geopolitical tensions surrounding the song contest.”
“Broadcasters have until mid-December to confirm whether they want to participate in next year’s event in Vienna. It is up to each member to decide whether they want to participate in the competition and we would respect any decision on the scores.”
Icelandic broadcaster Rúv has also said it is “possible” that if the EBU decides that Israel should remain part of Eurovision, they will withdraw.
Meanwhile, Spanish Culture Minister Ernesto Urtasun has called for the country to withdraw from Eurovision if Israel stays.
However, it seems that not every national broadcaster is on the same page on this issue.
In July, it was reported by several outlets that the national broadcasters of Germany and Italy had threatened to withdraw from Eurovision if Israel was not allowed to return to the event in 2026.
Germany’s Südwestrundfunk (SWR) later told HuffPost UK: “The Eurovision Song Contest is a major musical event that has brought people together across Europe and beyond for decades – diverse and respectful, regardless of origin, religion or belief.”
“The ESC is a music competition organized by the EBU broadcasters, not governments. The Israeli broadcaster Kan complies with the applicable rules and has been an integral part of the music competition for over 60 years. We endorse their participation and the core values of the ESC.
“We welcome the process initiated by EBU Director General Noel Curran. The former Senior TV Executive will engage in a structured, open dialogue with members over the coming months to explore different perspectives and identify courses of action. The aim must be a sound and sustainable solution in line with the EBU’s values.”
Huffpost UK also contacted Italian Rai at the time but did not receive a response.
The BBC had no comment last week when approached by Huffpost UK about whether it intended to withdraw or remain part of Eurovision depending on the upcoming decision over Israel.
