Eurovision faces withdrawals after Israel OK'd to compete | Fox 11 Tri Cities Fox 41 Yakima

The Eurovision Song Contest -- the world's largest live music competition -- faced the prospect of mass withdrawals, after organisers opted not to vote on Israel's future participation, allowing it to take part in next year's event.

Widespread opposition to the war in Gaza had led to mounting calls for Israel to be excluded from the annual contest, and after suspicions about the manipulation of the voting system.

But the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said after a meeting in Geneva that there had been "clear support" among members for reforms implemented to "reinforce trust and protect neutrality".

"A large majority of members agreed that there was no need for a further vote on participation and that the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 should proceed as planned, with the additional safeguards in place," a statement read.

Yet moments after the EBU statement public broadcasters in Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands -- who had all backed Israel's exclusion -- said their countries would not take part next year.

"The situation in Gaza, despite the ceasefire and the approval of the peace process, and the use of the contest for political goals by Israel, makes it increasingly difficult to keep Eurovision a neutral cultural event," said Alfonso Morales, the secretary general of Spain's RTVE.

Ireland's RTE said its participation would be "unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there, which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk".

AVROTROS in the Netherlands said a Dutch presence at next year's event "cannot be reconciled with the public values that are fundamental to our organisation".

Iceland has previously threatened to withdraw, while others, including Belgium, Finland and Sweden, have also said they were considering a boycott over the situation in Gaza.

- Voting scrutiny -

Israel's President Isaac Herzog welcomed the EBU decision and said his country "deserves to be represented on every stage around