More than 1,000 Swedish artists, including Robyn and Fever Ray, have signed a letter calling for Israel’s ban from the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. Image source: Michael Doherty, via Wikimedia Commons.
Over 1,000 Swedish artists have signed an open letter urging for Israel’s ban from the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest.
Published in Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, the letter was written in response to the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Signatories include internationally popular artists Robyn and Fever Ray.
Israel declared war against the Occupied Palestinian Territory in October 2023.
The war has killed approximately 1,139 Israelis and at least 26,900 Palestinians as of 31 January 2024.
The letter denounces Israel for its “brutal warfare” and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), who organise the contest, for allowing the nation to participate.
The letter opens by saying, “For more than 100 days, we have witnessed the Israeli army committing what leading human rights organisations describe as grave war crimes”.
“Despite this, the [EBU] intends to allow Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.”
The Swedish letter follows similar calls for contestants to withdraw participation from Eurovision until Israel is banned.
The Icelandic Association of Composers and Lyricists announced their intent to boycott the contest in December 2023.
They were joined by an association of more than 1,400 Finnish artists in January 2024.
Olly Alexander, who is set to represent the United Kingdom this year, also signed an open letter which called for a ceasefire and end to the Israeli “apartheid state”.
In response to the Swedish letter, a spokesperson for Eurovision 2024 issued a statement to American music magazine Billboard.
“We understand the concerns and deeply held views around the current conflict in the Middle East,” the response states.
“However, we are committed to ensuring [the contest] remains a non-political event in which broadcasters and artists, not governments, compete.”
The Swedish letter considers this stance a “remarkable double standard”.
After the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia was banned from competing in Eurovision.
“Allowing Israel’s participation undermines not only the spirit of the competition but the entire public service mission,” the Swedish letter continues.
“It also sends the signal that governments can commit war crimes without consequences.”
Sweden is set to host this year’s competition in the city of Malmö, following their 2023 win.
Israel previously won the contest in 2018, hosting the 2019 entry in Tel Aviv.
