The Netherlands has joined Ireland in saying it will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel participates in the event. Dutch broadcaster AvroTros said on Friday that its reasons for the move were based on the scale of suffering in Gaza.
On Thursday, RTÉ said Israel’s participation was “unconscionable” given the “ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza”.
Recent editions of Eurovision have been overshadowed by protests at Israel’s inclusion in the event. These protests have been driven by Israel’s continuing military assault on Gaza, which followed the October 7th, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas militants.
AvroTros said it had also taken into account the high number of journalists that have died in Gaza in deciding to boycott the 2026 contest, if Israel attends. Eurovision was watched by 166 million people on television this year.
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Israel has denied targeting journalists in the enclave.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the event, said on Thursday it understood the “concerns and deeply held views around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East”.
“We are still consulting with all EBU members to gather views on how we manage participation and geopolitical tensions around the Eurovision Song Contest,” director Martin Green said in an emailed statement. – Reuters
