As a fan community built on values of creativity, solidarity, and respect for human rights, we have made the difficult decision to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, in response to Israel's continued inclusion in the contest and amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The actions of the Israeli government — including the large-scale killing of civilians, mass displacement, the destruction of essential infrastructure, and the ongoing blockade of Gaza — have been widely condemned by international human rights organizations and legal experts as inconsistent with international humanitarian law. These actions directly contradict the core values that the Eurovision Song Contest claims to uphold: peace, unity, cultural exchange, and mutual respect. Allowing official participation from a state engaged in such conduct undermines the contest's credibility as a platform rooted in human dignity and peace.
Beyond this broader context, Israel's recent involvement in the contest itself has increasingly highlighted the tension between politics and the event's supposed non-political stance. Ongoing disputes around lyrics, staging, broadcasting practices, voting transparency, and the handling of protests and audience reactions have repeatedly overshadowed performances and intensified divisions among fans and delegations alike. Rather than fostering unity, these controversies have contributed to a climate of distrust and discomfort, reinforcing concerns that standards are being applied inconsistently and that the contest's stated values are being compromised.
Eurovision has always promoted unity beyond borders, but those values ring hollow when serious violations of international law and human rights go unaddressed. Silence in the face of such realities is not neutrality; it is complicity. We believe that celebrating a spectacle of international togetherness while ignoring the suffering of millions contradicts the very spirit of the contest.
We are inspired by the principled stances taken by broadcasters RTVe (Spain), RTVSLO (Slovenia), RTÉ (Ireland), and AVOTROS (The Netherlands), who have publicly announced that they will not participate in Eurovision 2026. Their actions demonstrate that meaningful institutions can choose to stand for accountability and ethical consistency, even when doing so comes at a cultural or political cost.
Our boycott is not directed at artists or fans, but at the European Broadcasting Union and broadcasters who refuse to uphold their professed values. We stand in solidarity with those calling for justice, dignity, and peace, and we urge the European Broadcasting Union to reassess its approach to inclusion and responsibility.
Unless Israel is excluded or withdraws from the contest, we will not provide coverage, promotion, or support for Eurovision 2026.
We ought to be United by Music. But unity must be rooted in humanity.
Eurovision NZ, created in 2015, is a fan community for Eurovision fans in New Zealand. We are not affiliated with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) or the Eurovision Song Contest. We are not affliated with, or endorsed by, EBU Affliate Members in New Zealand (Television New Zealand and Radio New Zealand).