Netherlands to skip Eurovision 2027 over Gaza concerns

The Netherlands will not compete in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, Dutch public broadcaster AVROTROS announced, saying the ongoing Gaza genocide has raised serious questions about the event’s neutrality and independence.

Dispute over Eurovision neutrality

AVROTROS said its decision followed months of pressure on the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organization responsible for Eurovision, to establish clearer and more transparent criteria for countries involved in genocide. The broadcaster argued that recent changes announced by the EBU did not go far enough to restore confidence in the contest’s impartiality.

The Dutch broadcaster linked its withdrawal to its stated principles of “trustworthiness, independence and humanity.” AVROTROS director-general Taco Zimmerman said international conflicts were increasingly shaping the competition and turning an event designed to unite countries into a source of division.

Gaza war fuels divisions

AVROTROS also cited the humanitarian situation in Gaza and restrictions affecting journalists as contributing factors. According to the broadcaster, five countries opted out of the 2026 contest, while former Eurovision winners returned their trophies and more than 1,000 musicians and cultural figures signed a letter urging the EBU to take action.

Gaza toll continues to rise

The announcement comes amid the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The source material says Israel continues to restrict the entry of agreed quantities of food, medicine, medical equipment, shelter supplies and prefabricated housing into the enclave, where about 2.4 million Palestinians live, including roughly 2.15 million displaced people.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that Israeli ceasefire violations had killed 1,286 Palestinians and wounded another 4,257 as of Sunday. It said the overall Palestinian death toll since the Israeli war on Gaza began in October 2023 had reached 73,420, with 174,369 people reported injured.