Spain should boycott Eurovision if Israel takes part: culture minister

Spain should boycott next year's Eurovision Song Contest if Israel takes part, Spanish Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun said Monday, joining other European nations threatening to pull out of the event.

His comments came a day after Spain's La Vuelta cycling race was brought to a premature end due to chaotic pro-Palestinian protests in the centre of Madrid.

Demonstrators denouncing the participation of the Israel-Premier Tech team in one of cycling's major races overwhelmed police. They invaded the course in the Spanish capital, forcing organisers to cut short the final stage.

"We have to ensure that Israel does not take part in the next edition of Eurovision. Just as Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and also the Netherlands have already done, if we do not succeed in expelling Israel, Spain should not participate," Urtasun told Spanish public radio.

It is up to the organiser of the event, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), to decide if Israel takes part, he added.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in May after the last edition of Eurovision that Israel should be excluded because of its military campaign in Gaza.

Sanchez also said on Monday that Israel and Russia should be banned from international sports competitions until "barbaric acts" end, referring to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Eurovision is the world's largest live televised music event. This year's edition in Basel drew in 166 million viewers across 37 countries.

Before airing the finale of Eurovision in May, Spanish public broadcaster RTVE displayed a message calling for "peace and justice for Palestine".

Austrian singer JJ won that competition, securing Austria the right to host the 2026 edition.

Public broadcasters have until mid-December to confirm if they will take part.

The EBU said in July it was launching a consultation with all members of the organisation over the issue of Israel's participation.

It said it would discuss "how we manage participation, geopolitical tensions, and how other organisations have approached similar challenges".

Pro-Palestinian activists protested in Malmö, Sweden, in 2024 and in Basel, Switzerland, in May over Israel's participation in the contest.