The Dutch public broadcaster Avrotros said it will boycott next year’s Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is allowed to participate, joining a decision announced earlier by Ireland’s RTÉ.
Avrotros said it could no longer justify Israel’s inclusion "given the ongoing and severe human suffering in Gaza" and a "serious erosion of press freedom," adding that "human suffering, the suppression of press freedom and political interference are at odds with the values of public broadcasting." The broadcaster cited an Israeli ban on international media entering Gaza and "the many casualties among journalists" as part of its rationale.
RTÉ has said it will not take part if Israel competes "given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza," and said it will make a final decision once the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises Eurovision, has made its determinations. The BBC, the United Kingdom’s Eurovision broadcaster, declined to comment when asked about calls for a boycott.
The controversy comes ahead of the 2026 contest, which will be held in Vienna in May after Austrian singer JJ won this year. JJ’s victory came in a closely contested finish that edged Israel out at the last moment.
On Friday, Irish musician and songwriter Phil Coulter urged the UK to withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel takes part, saying he was "100% behind RTÉ" and that people in the UK and Ireland were "disgusted by what's going on in Gaza." Coulter has written or co-written several songs for Eurovision, including the United Kingdom’s 1967 winning entry, "Puppet on a String." The BBC has so far declined to respond to Coulter’s call.
The debate over Israel’s participation has been intensifying since earlier this year, when more than 70 former Eurovision contestants signed a letter calling on organisers to ban Israel from the 2025 competition. Broadcasters and artists have increasingly framed decisions about attendance around human rights concerns and press access in Gaza.
The EBU sets the rules for participation in the contest, and its forthcoming decisions will determine whether the broadcasters that have signalled opposition will follow through on planned boycotts. RTÉ has indicated it will wait for the EBU’s ruling before confirming its final position; Avrotros’s statement represents the clearest indication to date that at least one other national broadcaster is prepared to withdraw if Israel is included.
Any boycott by multiple public broadcasters would raise questions about the contest’s neutrality and its role as a cultural event that traditionally emphasizes unity through music, while also highlighting the growing intersection of international politics and cultural institutions.