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The Netherlands has joined Ireland in a joint stance against Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, warning that they will not attend the event if Israel is confirmed to participate. The news was announced on Friday by Dutch public broadcaster AvroTros, referring to the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
A day earlier, Irish public broadcaster RTE had declared that Israeli participation was “unreasonable” given the “horrific loss of life in Gaza.” AvroTros said its decision was also based on the high number of journalists killed in the coastal enclave, deeming Israel’s participation in next year’s contest unacceptable. Eurovision 2025 was watched by 166 million people worldwide, making the decision unprecedented in the history of the festival.
For its part, Israel denies that it intended to target journalists in Gaza and considers its participation in Eurovision to be separate from political issues.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the festival's organizer, said on Thursday that it understood the concerns of some members and was consulting with all participating broadcasters to find a solution.
The decision by the Netherlands and Ireland highlights the tensions that could affect countries' participation in international cultural events, sparking debates over the separation of politics and art.
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