Netherlands quits Eurovision 2027 after Israel protest

The Netherlands announced Tuesday that it will not compete in Eurovision 2027 in Burgas, Bulgaria, reversing a decision made just over a month ago to return to the contest despite Israel’s participation.

Dutch public broadcaster NPO said it had failed to secure enough support among its member broadcasters to organize a national entry. Media director Jurre Bosman acknowledged that Israel’s participation had caused deep divisions among Dutch broadcasters and employees. In recent weeks, around 400 NPO staff members signed a letter urging the broadcaster to withdraw, and Dutch broadcasters reportedly told NPO that none of their staff would work on the contest.

“We must conclude that it is currently too early to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027,” said NPO executive chairman Jet de Ranitz, adding that the contest will still be broadcast on Dutch public television.

The about-face caps months of back-and-forth. In August, AVROTROS, the broadcaster that had long handled the Dutch entry, pulled out, saying the contest could no longer be considered neutral. NPO then announced in September that the Netherlands would return under a new arrangement, before reversing course Tuesday. The Netherlands will now miss the contest for a second straight year after sitting out the 2026 edition in Vienna.

The Dutch decision is the latest in a string of setbacks for Eurovision 2027. The Czech Republic has also signaled it may not take part, though in its case the reason is a budget crisis at the public broadcaster. Planned changes to Czech Television’s funding model are expected to cut around 1.3 billion koruna from its 2027 budget, raising doubts about its ability to fund international events.

Noa Kirel at Eurovision (Photo: Corinne Cumming, EBU)

The withdrawal comes amid a sharp diplomatic crisis between Israel and the Netherlands. The dispute escalated last month after the Netherlands banned the import and sale of goods from Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. In response, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar revoked the diplomatic status of Dutch representatives operating in Ramallah, giving them seven days to return their Israeli-issued credentials. “If the Netherlands wishes to continue representing its interests vis-à-vis the Palestinians, it can do so from Palestinian Authority territory and not from the territory of the State of Israel,” Sa’ar said. The Dutch Foreign Ministry summoned Israel’s ambassador in response. Israel had earlier removed the Dutch delegation from the international Gaza support center in Kiryat Gat.

Israel is expected to compete in Burgas, with its representative to be chosen on the new season of HaKokhav HaBa L’Eurovizyon. The show will soon return with a revamped voting system in which judges award points in a format modeled on Eurovision itself, replacing the familiar blue-and-red voting.