VIENNA, Dec 5 (Reuters) – Four countries’ boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest over Israel’s participation could reduce the budget for next year’s edition in Vienna but the show will be no worse for it, Austrian host broadcaster ORF said on Friday.

At a meeting on Thursday, national broadcasters that make up the European Broadcasting Union cleared Israel to take part in the next contest in May. That prompted Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia to say they were withdrawing over the war in Gaza, plunging the contest into one of the biggest ever rows.

Austria was among the countries to come out most firmly in favour of Israel, and ORF chief Roland Weissmann visited Israel in the run-up to Thursday’s meeting to show his support.

“The show will not suffer in any way,” Weissmann, t

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