AT LEAST FOUR COUNTRIES HAVE ANNOUNCED THEY ARE PULLING OUT OF NEXT YEAR’S EUROVISION SONG CONTEST AFTER ORGANIZERS DECIDED TO ALLOW ISRAEL TO COMPETE.

BROADCASTERS FROM SPAIN, NETHERLANDS, IRELAND AND SLOVENIA HAVE ANNOUNCED PLANS TO SIT OUT THE CONTEST IN VIENNA NEXT MAY.

IT COMES AFTER A GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE EUROPEAN BROADCASTING UNION MET TO DISCUSS CONCERNS ABOUT ISRAEL’S PARTICIPATION, WHICH SOME COUNTRIES OPPOSE OVER ITS CONDUCT OF THE WAR IN GAZA.

EARLIER, EBUS MEMBERS VOTED TO ADOPT TOUGHER VOTING RULES IN RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS THAT ISRAEL MANIPULATED THE VOTE IN FAVOR OF THEIR CONTESTANTS, BUT TOOK NO ACTION TO EXCLUDE ANY BROADCASTER FROM THE COMPETITION.

THE CONTEST PITS ACTS FROM DOZENS OF NATIONS AGAINST ONE ANOTHER FOR THE CONTINENT'S MUSICAL CROWN.

THE POP MUSIC GALA DRAWS MORE THAN 100 MILLION VIEWERS EVERY YEAR.

IT STRIVES TO PUT POP BEFORE POLITICS, BUT HAS REPEATEDLY BEEN EMBROILED IN WORLD EVENTS.

ISRAELI PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG SAID ON X THAT HE WAS “PLEASED” ISRAEL WILL AGAIN TAKE PART, AND THAT, QUOTE, "THE COMPETITION WILL REMAIN ONE THAT CHAMPIONS CULTURE, MUSIC, FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN NATIONS, AND CROSS-BORDER CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING.”