Israel and Hamas are preparing for an exchange of hostages and prisoners, paving the way for a ceasefire. American President Donald Trump has said the hostages held by Hamas will be returned by “Monday or Tuesday.” And Israeli leaders are said to be meeting to approve a cease-fire agreement that would take effect on Friday.
The situation is moving quickly and things could fall apart. But if a ceasefire takes hold and lasts, that won’t change the decision of Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS to withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel participates.
That’s according to a report published today by Dutch newspaper AD.nl.
Ceasefire won’t impact The Netherlands’ decision to withdraw if Israel participates in Eurovision 2026
“Our decision about participation in [Eurovision] 2026 was made carefully and deliberately, based on the events of this year, proven facts and verified reports,” an AVROTROS spokesman told AD.
“If a ceasefire is reached in the near future or the conflict evolves differently, that will not change our position for [Eurovision] 2026. We will reassess participation in subsequent years, depending on the circumstances at that time.”
The broadcasters comments come ahead of a crucial vote in early November during which members of the European Broadcasting Union will vote on whether to exclude Israel from the competition.
