Ireland to boycott Eurovision again over Israeli participation and ongoing Gaza deaths

What Happened

On Thursday, Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ announced it will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, citing 'the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there, which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk.' This is the second consecutive year Ireland will boycott; it was among five countries—along with Iceland, Netherlands, Spain, and Slovenia—that refused to take part in the 2026 contest over Israel's participation. The Dutch broadcaster Avrotros announced its own boycott last month, saying the competition 'can no longer be considered neutral, with a participating country still involved in a large-scale military conflict.' Eurovision director Martin Green said he regretted but respected RTÉ's decision. The European Broadcasting Union has introduced a rule barring broadcasters from hosting if their state is involved in an armed conflict or a sensitive geopolitical situation. The article states Palestinian authorities report more than 73,000 people killed in Gaza since the war began after Hamas-led fighters killed 1,200 people in southern Israel on 7 October 2023; Gaza's health ministry says 1,369 Palestinians have been killed and 4,627 wounded since the ceasefire took effect on 11 October 2025, with Israeli strikes continuing.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The boycott reflects growing European broadcaster discontent over Israel's participation amid the Gaza war, and the EBU's struggle to maintain the contest's neutrality while managing political protests and rule changes. It signals diplomatic and cultural pressure on Israel beyond military and legal arenas, particularly as several Western European public broadcasters frame participation as incompatible with the humanitarian toll in Gaza.

Watch For

Whether other 2026 boycotting countries—Iceland, Spain, Slovenia—also announce 2027 boycotts ahead of the contest in Burgas, Bulgaria; EBU responses to broadcaster pressure and any further rule changes on participation or hosting; and developments in the Gaza ceasefire and casualty figures that could lead additional broadcasters to withdraw.