AVROTROS confirm that The Netherlands will withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel is participating.
Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS released a statement regarding their Eurovision 2026 participation. The main point the broadcaster makes is that they cannot justify Israel’s participation in a contest that has peace, equality and respect as some of its core values, and that in the event of an Israeli participation next year, The Netherlands would not participate.
It had previously been announced that AVROTROS had been in talks with the EBU over various things, including: Israel’s participation, and the voting system in Eurovision, among others.
The Netherland’s now join Ireland’s broadcaster RTÉ in confirming that they will not participate in Eurovision 2026 if Israel participates. They also join Slovenia, Iceland and Spain, who have hinted at a possible withdrawal from Eurovision 2026 if Israel will participate. It is also understood that Sweden’s broadcaster SVT are currently in talks with the EBU.
After a turbulent year in 2024, which saw Joost Klein and The Netherlands disqualified from the Eurovision 2024 final in Sweden, they eventually decided to participate again in the contest in 2025, this time with Claude as their representative. With his song “C’est La Vie”, he got The Netherlands another left side finish in the final, with a top 5 jury finish and 12th place overall.
What are your thoughts on the statement released by AVROTROS? Do you think we will see other countries confirming their withdrawal from Eurovision 2026? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Photo credit: Alma Bengtsson / EBU
