Slovenia, along with broadcasters in Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Iceland, has signaled it may boycott the 2026 competition if Israel is allowed to participate while its military campaign in Gaza continues. “If Israel is there, we won’t be there,” Natalija Gorscak, president of Slovenia’s RTV broadcaster, told reporters. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the contest, announced it will hold an emergency vote next month to decide Israel’s eligibility. “Hopefully people will understand and respect that, see the good side… and not the bad side.”Mounting boycott pressureIreland, Iceland and Slovenia have confirmed they will boycott if Israel remains in the competition. “We can lie to ourselves and say ‘no, it’s not political’ but, you know, you can’t avoid politics,” she said.