VIENNA — The Austrian broadcaster hosting the next Eurovision Song Contest will not ban the Palestinian flag from the audience or drown out booing during Israel’s performance, in a shift from the policy at previous shows, organizers said on Tuesday.

The 70th edition of the contest in May will have just 35 entries, the smallest number of participants since the contest was expanded in 2004, after five national broadcasters — those of Spain, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Iceland and Ireland — said they would boycott the show in protest of Israel’s participation.

What is usually a celebration of national diversity, pop music and high camp has become embroiled in diplomatic strife. Those boycotting say it would be unconscionable to take part given the number of civilians killed in Gaza amid Israel’s war with Hamas, which began with the terror group’s October 7, 2023, onslaught and was halted in a US-brokered ceasefire about two months ago. Israel has rejected those accusations, saying it has sought to minimize noncombatant casualties as it fought an enemy embedded in........

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