Robyn and Fever Ray are amongst greater than 1,000 Swedish signatories of an open letter calling for the Eurovision Tune Contest to ban Israel from the 2024 competitors, the ultimate of which takes place within the Swedish metropolis of Malmö on Might 11. Axel Boman, Refused, DJ Seinfeld, Peder Mannerfelt, and First Help Equipment are additionally among the many signatories.

Per the the Gazan Well being Ministry, Israeli forces have killed greater than 25,000 Palestinians since the outbreak of battle in October, following Hamas’ assault on Israel. The United Nations’ Worldwide Court docket of Justice in The Hague has additionally referred to as on Israeli leaders to forestall acts of genocide by navy forces within the Gaza Strip.

The letter to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), proprietor and operator of Eurovision, argues, “The truth that international locations that place themselves above humanitarian regulation are welcomed to take part in worldwide cultural occasions trivializes violations of worldwide regulation and makes the struggling of the victims invisible.”

The letter follows the same marketing campaign spearheaded by Finnish and Icelandic artists, which argued that “a rustic that commits battle crimes and continues a navy occupation” shouldn’t be allowed “to shine its picture within the identify of music.”

Following each letters, Sveriges Tv (SVT), the Swedish public broadcaster of Eurovision 2024, launched the next assertion:

Israel’s participation within the Eurovision Tune Contest is producing debate and right this moment a lot of Swedish artists have referred to as on the EBU to cancel Israel’s participation within the Eurovision Tune Contest 2024.

It’s the EBU’s determination which public broadcasters could participate within the occasion, and because the host broadcaster, SVT follows the EBU’s selections.

The humanitarian struggling on this deeply advanced battle is devastating. No one will be left unmoved by the present state of affairs in Gaza, or by the Hamas assault in Israel. We’re additionally involved about these developments. We perceive and respect that teams of individuals want to make their voices heard.

Because the host broadcaster, SVT has an ongoing dialogue with the EBU in regards to the challenges of manufacturing Europe’s largest TV-production in occasions of unrest.

We’re humbled by the duty and are working to make sure the undertaking will be carried out in one of the simplest ways potential, with the imaginative and prescient that music unites.

The European Broadcasting Union banned Russia from the 2022 Eurovision Tune Contest, saying, “in gentle of the unprecedented disaster in Ukraine, the inclusion of a Russian entry on this yr’s Contest would deliver the competitors into disrepute.” On the similar time, the EBU referred to itself as “an apolitical member group of broadcasters dedicated to upholding the values of public service.” Belarus was banned for press freedom violations the earlier yr.