VIENNA: Austria’s public broadcaster, which hosts the next Eurovision contest, on Tuesday said it hoped for a compromise on Israel’s participation in the massive TV extravaganza ahead of a vote next month.
The Eurovision Song Contest’s organizers, the European Broadcasting Union, said last month that Israel’s participation would be dealt with at its regular gathering in December.
A growing number of countries have threatened to boycott the 2026 edition of the world’s biggest live music television event unless Israel was excluded over the war in Gaza.
ORF director general Roland Weissmann said he carried out “intense work” to convince his foreign counterparts to come to Vienna next May for the contest.
“Honestly, this is the time for diplomacy,” he told reporters.
