(Reuters) -Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker has firmly rejected any suggestion of banning Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest as his country prepares to host the next edition of the competition in 2026.
“I would consider it a fatal mistake to exclude Israel,” Stocker was quoted as saying in an interview with German news agency dpa published on Sunday, Austria’s National Day.
“Based on our history alone, I would never be in favour of that,” he added, in reference to Austria’s shared responsibility for crimes committed during the Holocaust in World War Two.
Eurovision, which stresses its political neutrality, has faced controversy linked to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza in response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel.
The public broadcasters of some European countries, including Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands have pledged to withdraw if Israel takes part in the contest to be held in Vienna next May.
Eurovision Song Contest organisers this month scrapped a planned November meeting to vote on Israel’s participation, and are now due to look at it in December.
(Reporting by Dave GrahamEditing by Ros Russell)
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