Over 1,000 musicians including Roger Waters, Massive Attack, and Brian Eno as well as 70 former Eurovision contestants are calling a boycott of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, accusing the EBU of allowing Israel to “whitewash” its actions in Gaza.
The coalition, known as “No Music for Genocide,” cites hypocrisy in excluding Russia but not Israel.
The campaign had earlier succeeded in persuading artists to withdraw their music from streaming platforms in Israel.
Those backing the move include internationally known names such as Brian Eno, Massive Attack, Kneecap, and Roger Waters, along with former Eurovision winners Emmelie de Forest and Charlie McGettigan.
In their letter, the signatories argued that allowing Israel to participate while Russia remains suspended over its 2022 war in Ukraine highlights what they see as inconsistency in the EBU’s approach.
“The EBU’s contrasting responses to Russia and Israel have undermined its claims of neutrality,” the letter said. “In 2022, the organisation stated that Russia’s inclusion would ‘bring the competition into disrepute.’
“However, more than 30 months of violence in Gaza, along with actions in the West Bank, have not led to similar measures against Israel,” it added.
Earlier, broadcasters from Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands withdrew from the participation in protest.
