The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place this month – but the popular music event remains mired in controversy surrounding the involvement of Israel. Several countries, including Spain – one of the “Big Five” nations ordinarily guaranteed a spot in the final – have withdrawn from the competition in protest at Israel’s participation . The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organising body behind Eurovision, has faced calls to ban Israel for three years running, but has each time allowed Israel to remain in the competition. Meanwhile, Israel’s broadcaster was issued a warning by Eurovision after competition rules with a video asking fans to vote for the country’s act 10 times. This year the country is being represented by singer Noam Bettan, who will be competing with his song “Michelle”. (yair sigron/CC BY-SA 3.0) Israel’s actions in Gaza have been described by many – including a UN Commission, Amnesty International, and the International Association of Genocide Scholars – as a genocide.…