The members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) decided Israel’s fate in Eurovision after a vote on Thursday, December 4.

Despite reactions and threats of boycotts from various countries, Israel will ultimately take part in the song contest, which will be held in Austria in May.

Spain, the Netherlands, and Ireland announced that they are withdrawing following the decision to allow Israel to participate. Iceland and Slovenia are also expected to withdraw.

According to the results of the vote, 738 were in favor of the country’s participation in the contest, while 264 voted against. Out of 1,122 members, 120 declared themselves absent.

The members met to discuss new rules that have been drafted to prevent governments and third parties from disproportionately promoting songs in an attempt to influence voters, following the controversy sparked this year over Israel’s second-place finish.

If the members had not been convinced that the rules were sufficient, a vote on participation would have been held—as indeed happened—without explicitly naming Israel.

In a statement, the Dutch broadcaster Avrotros said that “participation under the current circumstances is incompatible with the public values that are fundamental to us.”

On the other hand, Spain’s broadcaster RTVE stressed: “RTVE’s board of directors agreed last September that Spain would withdraw from Eurovision if Israel participated. This withdrawal also means that RTVE will not broadcast the Eurovision 2026 final, nor the semifinals.”