Spain, Slovenia, Ireland and the Netherlands have pulled out of next year’s Eurovision after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) decided Israel could compete in the song contest without putting it to a vote.

A number of nations had called for Israel to be excluded over the war in Gaza and Israel allegedly flouting rules designed to safeguard the contest’s neutrality.

Public broadcasters from 56 countries met in Geneva on Thursday for the general assembly of the EBU, the body that organises the competition, and a debate on the issue had been expected to take place. New Feature

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But no vote on Israel’s participation was held, and participating broadcasters voted only to introduce new rules to stop governments and third parties from disp

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