Ernest Urtasun, the Spanish Minister for Culture, has called for Spain to withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel is not excluded from the contest due to ongoing political tensions and protests against Israel's participation. Urtasun emphasized that Israel's involvement cannot be normalized and described the situation in Gaza as genocide. He noted that the decision to withdraw ultimately lies with RTVE, which has expressed concerns over Israel's participation. The controversy has led to calls for Israel's expulsion from Eurovision, with several broadcasters and former contestants supporting this stance.