The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has confirmed it will hold a vote in November on Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.
The unprecedented move could see Israeli broadcaster KAN expelled from next year's competition.
It comes after several European broadcasters, including RTÉ, said they would boycott the contest if Israel took part.
The annual contest has been drawn into the controversy over Israel's war in Gaza.
A letter sent today to the Directors General of member broadcasters said that a vote on the inclusion of KAN, the Israeli public service broadcaster, would be held at an extraordinary meeting of the EBU's General Assembly, which will be held in early November.
The letter, signed by EBU president Delphine Ernotte Cunci, said the union had "never faced a divisive situation like this before".
In a statement this evening, the EBU said: "We can confirm that a letter has been sent from the Executive Board of the European Broadcasting Union to Directors General of all our Members informing them that a vote on participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will take place at an extraordinary meeting of the EBU's General Assembly to be held online in early November."
Russia was banned from Eurovision after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but Israel has continued to compete for the past two years despite disputes over its participation.
Pro-Palestinian activists protested in Malmö, Sweden in 2024 and in Basel, Switzerland last May over Israel's participation in the contest.
An RTÉ spokesperson confirmed that the broadcaster and Director General Kevin Bakhurst have received a letter from the EBU but declined to comment further at this time.
Earlier this month, Mr Bakhurst said that "RTÉ feels that Ireland's participation would be unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza".
He went on: "RTÉ is also deeply concerned by the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza, the denial of access to international journalists to the territory, and the plight of the remaining hostages."
In the wake of RTÉ's decision, the EBU had previously said it understood "the concerns and deeply held views around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East".
It noted that it was consulting with members "to gather views on how we manage participation and geopolitical tensions around the Eurovision Song Contest".
Eurovision is the world's largest live televised music event. This year's edition in Basel drew in 166 million viewers across 37 countries.
Austrian singer JJ won that competition, securing Austria the right to host the 2026 edition. The semi-finals and grand final are due to take place in Vienna next May.
Additional Reporting: Sharon Lynch, AFP
