ICELAND HAS BECOME the fifth country to withdraw from next year’s Eurovision Song Contest after a decision last week to allow Israel to compete.

Almost immediately after it was confirmed that Israel would take part in the Eurovision, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia announced that they would be withdrawing from the contest.

Belgium, Finland and Sweden also said they were considering a boycott over the situation in Gaza, but all three have since confirmed their participation in next year’s event.

Iceland meanwhile said it would make a decision this week and in a statement this evening, Icelandic national broadcaster RÚV announced that it will not be taking part in the Song Contest.

RÚV director general Stefán Eiríksson said the participation of the Israeli public broadcaster KAN had caused disunity.

Rule changes

Last month, the voting rules for the Eurovision were “majorly overhauled” after controversy regarding the public vote for Israel at this year’s Song Contest.

Among the changes was a limit to the number of times people can vote and the discouragement of “disproportionate promotion campaigns” by “governments or governmental agencies”.

The changes came after an Israeli government agency paid for adverts targeting this year’s Eurovision public vote.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the annual competition, had expressed hope that these changes would be enough to persuade national broadcasters to participate in next year’s event in Austria.

EBU members met last week for a potential vote on Israel’s participation in the Song Contest.

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However, the EBU said a “large majority of members agreed that there was no need for a vote on participation” and that the Eurovision “should proceed as planned, with the additional safeguards in place”.

RÚV expressed concern at last week’s EBU meeting that the changes were not sufficient and called for KAN to be removed from the contest.

In a statement this evening, RÚV said: “Given the public debate in this country and the reactions to the decision of the EBU that was taken last week, it is clear that neither joy nor peace will prevail regarding the participation of RÚV in Eurovision.

“It is therefore the conclusion of RÚV to notify the EBU that RÚV will not take part in Eurovision next year.”