Israel was invited to perform under a neutral flag at Eurovision 2026

Israel was unofficially offered options for participating in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, including performing under a neutral flag. This was reported on September 14 by the Ynet portal, citing sources.

"Against the background of the ongoing crisis related to Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest next year, unofficial proposals were submitted to Israeli representatives, including a temporary refusal to participate in the contest or performing under a neutral flag," the article says.

According to the portal, refusing to participate in the competition could save Israel from "humiliating disqualification." At the same time, Israeli officials are expected to disagree with any of the options. Thus, a one-year suspension is seen as a potential precedent that could lead to permanent expulsion.

Another unofficial proposal is that the Israeli State Broadcasting Corporation should make a public statement about its independence from the policies of the government and the military of the Jewish state.

Voting is scheduled for December in Geneva, where the Eurovision governing body will discuss Israel's admission to the 2026 contest.

On September 12, The Times of Israel newspaper reported that The Netherlands would refuse to participate in the Eurovision 2026 music contest if an Israeli representative participated in it. AvroTros TV company also took into account the large number of journalists killed in Gaza.

In May, the head of the Spanish government, Pedro Sanchez, said that Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest indicates the double standards of the organizers. He recalled that the Russian Federation was suspended from participation after the start of the special operation. The Prime Minister called for avoiding double standards "even in culture."

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