STORY: The Eurovision Song Contest is not in crisis, its director told Reuters on Thursday (December 4) as Israel was cleared to enter in 2026, prompting Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia to withdraw over the Gaza war.

The broadcasters who had threatened to boycott the event cited the death count in Gaza and accused Israel of flouting rules meant to guard the contest's neutrality. Israel accuses its critics of mounting a global smear campaign against it.

After a meeting in Geneva, the European Broadcasting Union decided not to call a vote on Israel's participation, and said it had instead passed new rules aimed at discouraging governments from influencing the contest.

Right after that announcement by the contest organiser, the Dutch, Spanish and Irish broadcasters said they would withdraw from the competition.

Contest director Martin Green said that the debate showed the decision followed a democratic process and that the neutrality of the competition had been protected.

"It's in no ways a crisis. We've got 35 members or so going to join us next year," he told Reuters in an interview straight after the vote, adding he understood the choice made by those who had decided to withdraw.

He said the competition would not face financial difficulties following the withdrawal, despite Spain being a member of the so-called "Big Five" biggest backers of the contest.

"Eurovision was born from the ashes of the Second World War. It was designed to bring us together, and it will hit bumps in the road and we have a complicated world, but we hope it's a temporary situation and we'll move forward," Green said.

The CEO of Israeli broadcaster KAN, Golan Yochpaz, stated during the EBU meeting that the attempt to remove Israel from the contest was a form of "cultural boycott," according to a statement by the broadcaster.

The Eurovision Song Contest dates back to 1956 and reaches around 160 million viewers, according to the EBU.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: INTERVIEW WITH EUROVISION SONG CONTEST DIRECTOR MARTIN GREEN

SHOWS: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF EUROPEAN BROADCASTING UNION (EBU)

2. VARIOUS OF EUROVISION SONG CONTEST DIRECTOR MARTIN GREEN DURING INTERVIEW

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROVISION SONG CONTEST DIRECTOR MARTIN GREEN SAYING:

"I think it's and important day for Eurovision. It's an emphatic result by the democratic membership, who have said that they want to protect the neutrality of the competition. Now, it was a deep debate, it was a passionate debate, it recognises that we live in a really complex world, but ultimately it recognises that it's not governments who participate in Eurovision, it's artists and public service broadcasters."

4. GREEN IN INTERVIEW

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROVISION SONG CONTEST DIRECTOR MARTIN GREEN SAYING:

"It's in no ways a crisis. We've got 35 members or so going to join us next year. Now, I understand the four or five who might not come. That's their choice. I completely respect that. I very much hope they'll be back with us in 2027 and I also very much hope that they will still broadcast the show and allow those fans who want to watch the show to watch it. But again, that's their choice."

6. GREEN IN INTERVIEW

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROVISION SONG CONTEST DIRECTOR MARTIN GREEN SAYING:

"Eurovision is very, very successful. It's the biggest music show in the world, and therefore we're lucky that we are financially robust. We're also going to be joined by three returning countries next year: Bulgaria, Romania, and Moldova. So there's a sense that it will even itself out. And this, remember, this isn't driven by money. Of course we wish the other four or five were with us. We hope they come back in 2027, but we're going to now drive towards a real celebration of 70 years of music, bringing people together next year with those thirty-five or so participating broadcasters."

8. GREEN IN INTERVIEW

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROVISION SONG CONTEST DIRECTOR MARTIN GREEN SAYING:

"Well, it means that four or five countries won't have a song and an act. We'll fully make sure that the fans and the audiences in those countries can watch the show. And then for the 35 others, they'll be on stage in Vienna. Our Austrian broadcaster is doing an amazing job. We've got lots of special things lined up for the 70th anniversary, which will also remind us, Eurovision was born from the ashes of the Second World War. It was designed to bring us together, and it will hit bumps in the road and we have a complicated world, but we hope it's a temporary situation and we'll move forward."

10. EBU HEADQUARTERS

11. JOURNALISTS OUTSIDE

12. SIGN

13. VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS OUTSIDE