OGAE Serbia :: Vaš evrovizijski svet
After Slovenia and Spain had already expressed their concerns about Israel’s participation in the contest, another country joins the list of those whose participation in Eurovision 2026 is uncertain. This time, the focus is on Iceland, a country that has repeatedly expressed its disagreement with Israel’s participation in the competition in the past.
The Icelandic public broadcaster RÚV is using the extended deadline for withdrawal, which expires in December, when, after the EBU General Assembly, a final decision on Israel’s participation will be made. As Stefán Jón Hafstein, the chairman of RÚV, stated, Iceland’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest will directly depend on that decision.
Even though RÚV recently opened the submission window for its national final, Söngvakeppnin 2026, they stated that neither the winner nor Iceland in general has a guaranteed place on the big Eurovision stage.
RÚV chairman Stefán Jón Hafstein said:
„At the EBU General Assembly in July, many criticisms were voiced, including from us, about Israel being allowed to participate. It was decided at that meeting to begin a consultation process among public broadcasters. Now I know that many people are considering whether they want Israel to be included in the contest. They don’t have to announce their participation before December. We will call for entries for Söngvakeppnin, but with the reservation of participating in Eurovision. We simply don’t know if that will happen.“
The chairman of RÚV emphasizes that Iceland is not the only country considering withdrawal and that he is aware that other broadcasters are also concerned. However, he personally believes that Iceland should not participate if Israel is allowed to.
Although there were disagreements within the RÚV board, where some members felt it was a foreign policy issue that the government should decide, Hafstein points out that RÚV is an independent institution that makes its own decisions about Eurovision participation.
Previous Incidents: Iceland and Palestine in Tel Aviv 2019
This is not the first time Iceland has openly expressed its stance. Back at Eurovision 2019 in Tel Aviv, the Icelandic representatives, the group Hatari, caused a major stir. During the final, while the public televoting results were being revealed, the band members unfurled scarves with the Palestinian flag in front of the cameras.
This move provoked a strong reaction, and the audience in the Expo Tel Aviv venue had negative reactions, including boos and jeers. The EBU reacted immediately, trying to remove the flags from them. Due to this political act, which is contrary to the rules of the competition, the EBU imposed a fine of €5,000.
The group Hatari had been known for their controversial statements and public questioning of whether Eurovision should even be held in Israel, leading Jon Ola Sand, the then Executive Supervisor of the contest, to give them a „last warning.“
The moment Iceland’s representatives unfurled scarves with the Palestinian flag in the Eurovision 2019 final.
This news comes just hours after Spain’s Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, stated that Spain might pull out of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 if Israel is not expelled. You can read more about it in our previous article HERE.
Many countries have already expressed their disagreement with Israel’s presence in the upcoming contest. The question is: What will happen next? Will the pressure from public broadcasters and governments lead to changes within the EBU, and will Eurovision face an unprecedented number of withdrawals?
