Austria’s public broadcaster, which will host the next Eurovision Song Contest, on Tuesday said it hoped Israel would be able to participate in the massive TV extravaganza, ahead of a key meeting next month.

The contest’s organizers, the European Broadcasting Union, said last month that Israel’s participation would be dealt with at its regular gathering in December, though it has remained mum on how exactly the decision will be made.

A growing number of countries have threatened to boycott the 2026 edition of the world’s biggest live music television event unless Israel is excluded over the war in Gaza.

Austrian public broadcaster ORF’s director-general Roland Weissmann, who recently visited Israel, said he’s carried out “intense work” to convince his foreign counterparts to come to Vienna next May for the contest.

“Honestly, this is the time for diplomacy,” he told reporters.

Spain said it would boycott next year’s event if Israel took part. Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands have made similar threats.

Other countries such as Belgium, Sweden and Finland have........

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