Thursday marked the biggest crisis in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Four countries pulled out over Israel's continued participation in the competition, and more may follow.
The boycott includes Ireland, which has won seven times - a tally matched only by Sweden - and five-time winner the Netherlands.
Spain, one of the contest's biggest financial backers, and Slovenia, are also out.
The row exposes a deep rift within the Eurovision family, arising from tensions over Israel's conduct during the war in Gaza. There has also been criticism regarding voting processes, particularly after Israel came top in the public vote in this year’s contest.
Israel described its participation as a victory against efforts to silence it.
Thursday's summit with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) highlighted these divisions, with no direct vote on Israel's future participation but a decision on new rules for campaigning and voting. 65% of EBU members voted in favor of those changes.
Spain's RTVE president expressed disappointment, stating that the crisis was avoidable and criticizing the Eurovision organizers for bowing to political pressures.
The impact on Eurovision’s funding remains uncertain. Losing significant contributors like Spain could have ripple effects on the event's budget and scale.
Despite the turmoil, Eurovision director Martin Green estimates that 35 nations will still participate in next year’s contest in Vienna. However, the ongoing discord raises questions about future boycotts and the overall unity promoted by Eurovision.
