Germany slams Eurovision boycott threats over Israel’s participation

Germany's culture minister has criticized threats by several European countries to boycott the next Eurovision song contest if Israel is allowed to participate. Spain announced it would pull out of the contest, with Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland, and the Netherlands issuing similar warnings due to Israel's war on Gaza. The German minister argued that excluding Israel politicizes a cultural event and goes against its founding principle of uniting nations. The European Broadcasting Union will make a final decision in December regarding Israel's participation in the 2026 competition.