Slovenia TV says it won't air Eurovision song contest over 'Israel’s' participation
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- Slovenian broadcaster refuses to air Eurovision over 'Israel’s' participation.
- Alternative schedule to feature documentaries on Palestine.
Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenia has announced it will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, refusing to broadcast the event and replacing it with programming focused on Palestinian themes.
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The contest is scheduled to take place in Vienna in May 2026.
Protest over participation of ‘Israel’
The decision was taken in protest against the continued participation of ‘Israel’ in the competition, amid growing criticism in Slovenia over the war in Gaza and broader regional policies.
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The broadcaster said it would not air the event and instead use the allocated broadcast time to present alternative cultural content.
“Voices from Palestine” programming
As part of the replacement schedule, RTV Slovenia will broadcast a series of documentaries and films under the title “Voices from Palestine,” aimed at highlighting Palestinian experiences and narratives.
The initiative is described as a symbolic cultural response intended to shift public attention during peak Eurovision viewing hours.
Growing boycott movement
Slovenia joins other countries, including Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain, which have also announced boycotts of the competition over the same concerns.
While some nations continue participation, the wave of withdrawals has intensified political pressure on the contest’s organizers.
Calls from artists and silence from organizers
More than 1,000 artists and cultural workers have signed an open letter calling for a boycott, including international figures such as Paloma Faith, Kneecap, and Macklemore.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes Eurovision, has not yet issued a response, as the contest faces mounting political controversy ahead of its 2026 edition.
