RTVE broadcasts a message in defense of human rights in Palestine at the start of the Eurovision 2026 Grand Final

Spain is not participating in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 due to Israel’s participation. This Saturday, May 16, the Grand Final of the 70th edition takes place, and at the moment the contest begins (not broadcast by RTVE), the Spanish broadcaster has aired a message similar to the one in 2025, reaffirming its position against the Israeli presence in the competition.

From RTVE, just before the start of the ‘Telediario’ news program, following the same approach as the previous edition and using a black background, the broadcaster reminded viewers of the reasons for its refusal to participate in Eurovision. It highlighted how Israel has violated human rights in Palestine.

“The Eurovision Song Contest is a competition, but human rights are not. There is no room for indifference. Peace and justice for Palestine”

“The Eurovision Song Contest is a competition, but human rights are not.
There is no room for indifference. Peace and Justice for Palestine.”

The institutional message once again places its stance against the war in Gaza and Israel’s military actions at the forefront, which led to its withdrawal from the Eurovision Song Contest. This time, RTVE aims to emphasize “indifference” toward the situation of the Palestinian people, increasing its critical tone toward the organization of the contest.

Spain, together with Slovenia, Ireland, Iceland, and the Netherlands, has withdrawn from the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 due to Israel’s participation, a red line they consider unacceptable. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU-UER), the organization responsible for the event, decided to keep Israel in the competition.

RTVE withdrew from Eurovision last December, for the first time since 1961, after the contest organizers refused to exclude Israel. Four other countries also refused to participate in the festival for the same reason (Iceland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Ireland), but only Spain is part of the “Big Five”, those that contribute the most to Eurovision and are always guaranteed a place in the final.

Although they have stepped away from the competition, the broadcaster is not unaware of the political implications and polarization surrounding Eurovision due to the participation of a country whose offensive in Gaza has left more than 73,000 dead, according to local authorities.

The president of RTVE, José Pablo López, shared the message on his X social media profile with a comment: “At this time, as in the last 64 years, the music should be starting. But today our tune is different.”