Netherlands withdraws from "Eurovision" 2027 due to Israel's participation

The Dutch public broadcaster NPO announced the Netherlands' withdrawal from the Eurovision 2027 contest, citing the controversy and division over Israel's participation against the backdrop of the war in Gaza. The move is the latest boycott joined by countries dissatisfied with Israel's participation.

The Dutch public broadcaster NPO announced on Tuesday the Netherlands' withdrawal from the Eurovision 2027 contest, citing the 'controversy and division' raised over Israel's participation. This move is the latest boycott joined by countries dissatisfied with Israel's participation in the annual music competition, against the backdrop of the war in the Gaza Strip that Israel launched following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The broadcaster AVROTROS, responsible for selecting the Dutch candidate, had announced its withdrawal in August, considering that the event 'is no longer neutral' due to the divisions related to the war in Gaza. A month later, NPO stepped in to replace it, before reversing its decision on Tuesday. The CEO of the broadcaster, Gitte de Ranitz, said that this measure will disappoint a large number of Eurovision fans in the Netherlands, confirming that the competition will be broadcast on official television.