Public broadcasters from at least four countries — including Spain and the Netherlands — on Thursday pulled out of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest after organizers decided to allow Israel to compete. The developments expose how political discord has taken center stage over a usually joyful celebration of harmony through music.

The pullouts, which were joined by Ireland and Slovenia, came after a general assembly of the European Broadcasting Union — a group of public broadcasters from 56 countries that runs the event — met to discuss concerns about Israel’s participation, which some countries oppose over its conduct of the Israel-Hamas conflict .

Earlier, EBU members voted to adopt tougher voting rules in response to allegations that Israel manipulated the vote in favor of their

See Full Page