The Netherlands will not participate in next year's Eurovision Song Contest, its broadcaster said on Monday, saying the event can "no longer be considered neutral" given divisions over the Gaza war. "It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the Contest, undermining its neutral character. The Eurovision Song Contest has therefore become a platform for division," said Taco Zimmerman, Director-General of the AVROTROS broadcaster. The statement did not mention Israel by name, but several countries boycotted last year's contest in protest at Israeli participation.
