Over 1,000 Artists Demand Eurovision Boycott Over Israel
The appeal, coordinated by the activist collective "No Music for Genocide" and published Tuesday, calls on performers, broadcasting networks, production crew, and audiences alike to withhold their support unless the EBU moves to bar Israeli public broadcaster KAN from the contest. The same group had previously campaigned to have artists pull their catalogues from music streaming platforms operating in Israel.
High-profile signatories include internationally recognized acts Brian Eno, Massive Attack, Kneecap, and Roger Waters, as well as former Eurovision champions Emmelie de Forest and Charlie McGettigan.
Central to the letter's argument is the contrast between the EBU's suspension of Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine and its continued allowance of Israel to compete.
"The EBU's hypocritical responses to Russia's and Israel's crimes have removed any illusion of Eurovision's claimed 'neutrality.' In 2022, the EBU said that Russia's presence would 'bring the competition into disrepute,'" the letter stated.
"Yet more than 30 months of genocide in Gaza – alongside ethnic cleansing and land theft in the besieged West Bank – aren't considered sufficient to apply the same policy to Israel," it added.
The signatories accused the broadcasting union of hollowing out its own neutrality claims and urged peers across the industry to act, warning that "passive silence is not an option."
The letter further commended broadcasters and artists who have reportedly pulled out of national selection processes or declined invitations to participate in protest, citing resistance from organizations in Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands.
Eurovision's next edition is set to take place in Austria from May 12 through 16.
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