Netherlands withdraws from Eurovision over Israel's participation

The Netherlands will not send a participant to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027, a decision announced by the public broadcaster Avrotros. The broadcaster stated that Israel's participation in the event has compromised its neutral character, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the "grave humanitarian suffering" there.

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the event has lost its neutral character due to the impact of the war in Gaza and "geopolitical tensions" in the Middle East.

Avrotros explained that the "serious humanitarian suffering in Gaza and the continued restrictions on freedom of speech" are incompatible with its own values of reliability, independence, and humanity. The Dutch broadcaster had previously called for transparent rules from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) regarding the participation of countries involved in military conflicts.

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the grave humanitarian suffering in Gaza and continued restrictions on freedom of speech are not compatible with Avrotros's values: reliability, independence, and humanity.

However, Avrotros found that the EBU's recent changes did not provide "sufficient confidence" that the contest's independent and neutral character had been restored. The broadcaster noted that the EBU's evaluation basis for allowing a country to participate remains unclear. Avrotros also pointed to the fact that five countries, including the Netherlands, opted out of the 2026 edition, and that over a thousand musicians and cultural professionals had urged the EBU to intervene.

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Eurovision was born with the aim of "uniting people and countries," but it is "undeniable" that international conflicts are increasingly influencing the contest and today "Eurovision has become a platform for division."

Taco Zimmerman, Avrotros's Director General, lamented that Eurovision, which was founded to "unite people and countries," has increasingly become a "platform for division" due to international conflicts. He affirmed the broadcaster's commitment to its values, even when it means withdrawing from an event they hold dear.

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As a public broadcaster, "we remain committed to our values. They guide us in everything we do, even when that means stepping away from an event that is very close to our hearts."