Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany has stated that the nation may withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel is barred from the competition due to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Other European countries, such as Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia, have also threatened to boycott the event under similar circumstances. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is gearing up for an unprecedented online vote in November to determine Israel’s participation in the contest. Merz expressed strong opposition to Israel’s exclusion, calling it a ‘scandal’, and emphasized that Israel has a place in the contest. Despite its self-identification as ‘apolitical’, the EBU had previously banned Russia from the contest in 2022 following the Ukraine conflict. Israel continues to compete despite international concerns about its actions in Gaza.