Over 1,000 Swedish recording artists have urged the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to exclude Israel from participating in this year's Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) – as the country is accused of carrying mass atrocities against civilians in Gaza – according to a local media report published Monday.
The newspaper Aftonbladet published an open letter on Monday, signed by musicians including Robyn, Fever Ray and the indie folk duo First Aid Kit.
Sweden hosts this May's extravaganza and the artists criticized the EBU's decision to allow Israel to take part – despite its "brutal warfare in Gaza," the open letter said.
The organizers of the ESC had previously rejected calls for Israel to be excluded, citing the non-political nature of the music event.
But the Swedish artists accused the EBU of double standards.
In the letter, they pointed out that no Russian musicians were allowed to participate in the contest after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and that Belarus was denied participation in 2021 due to violations of press freedom.
There has been sporadic criticism across Europe from those who feel Israel should be excluded due to the massive Palestinian civilian casualties it is causing in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7.
The 68th Eurovision will take place in Malmo between May 7 and May 11 after Swedish singer Loreen won last year's competition in Liverpool with the song "Tattoo."
Although Israel is not geographically in Europe, it has long taken part in the ESC as well as in European football.
