Pressure is rising on the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to bar Israel from Eurovision, as the Netherlands announced it would officially boycott the competition if Israel participates, citing the “scale of suffering in Gaza.”
The Netherlands is the third country to make an official boycott declaration, after Ireland and Slovenia. The statements are intended to exert significant pressure on the EBU ahead of a decisive discussion on Israel’s participation, scheduled for about six weeks from now.
Ireland and Slovenia, considered less influential within the EBU, have not had a major impact, but the Netherlands’ stance carries more weight. Its announcement could trigger a domino effect, encouraging other countries that have expressed opposition to Israel’s participation—such as Spain, Sweden, Iceland, and Belgium—to follow suit.
Despite these declarations, countries could still reverse their positions following the EBU’s decision, expected in December. The EBU granted an unusually extended deadline for confirming or withdrawing Eurovision entries until the matter of Israel’s participation is resolved.
Currently, an external EBU supervisor is consulting participating countries and is expected to present recommendations ahead of the December meeting, when Israel’s involvement will be formally decided.
Previously, an EBU official noted that the continuation of the conflict through winter could make Israel’s participation in Eurovision extremely difficult.