In a show of solidarity, more than 400 celebrities and entertainment figures, including Gene Simmons, Helen Mirren, Boy George, and music executive Scooter Braun, have signed an open letter expressing their support for Israel's inclusion in this year's Eurovision song contest. The letter, organized by Creative Community For Peace, a non-profit organization opposing cultural boycotts of Israel, aims to counter the growing calls for a boycott due to the Israel-Gaza war.

The open letter emphasizes the belief that unifying events like singing competitions play a crucial role in bridging cultural divides and uniting people through their shared love for music. The signatories state that those who advocate for Israel's exclusion from Eurovision are undermining the spirit of the contest, turning it into a political tool rather than a celebration of unity.

This comes in response to separate open letters signed by over 2,000 musicians in Finland, Iceland, and Sweden, the host country for this year's competition, urging a ban on Israel's participation due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The letter from Finland further called for the Finnish Broadcasting Company, Yle, to boycott Eurovision and decline to send an entrant if Israel is not excluded.

However, a spokesperson for Eurovision has reaffirmed that the competition remains a non-political event. They emphasized that Eurovision is a competition for public service broadcasters and not governments. Israel's public broadcaster, Kan, which has participated for 50 years and meets all competition rules, will therefore be allowed to participate in Malmö in May, represented by singer Eden Golan.

Israel's ambassador to Sweden, Ziv Nevo Kulman, criticized the calls for a Eurovision ban, stating that promoting a boycott of Israel supports the acts of Hamas and is incompatible with the values of the European Broadcasting Union and the competition itself.

While countries have been excluded from Eurovision in the past, such as Russia in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine, the organizers have determined that Israel's participation in this year's event is in accordance with the competition rules.

The conflict in Gaza erupted after Hamas militants killed approximately 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, and kidnapped 250 individuals on October 7th, prompting Israel's assault. The Israeli military's response has resulted in the deaths of at least 28,000 people, the displacement of over 85% of the Palestinian population, and significant damage to Gaza's infrastructure.

Creative Community For Peace has previously advocated for Israel's participation in Eurovision. In 2019, when Israel won the hosting rights for the competition, the organization gathered a petition supporting the country, which garnered 11,200 signatures from high-profile cultural figures, many of whom are signatories of the recent open letter. Eurovision subsequently took place in Tel Aviv that year.

As the Eurovision song contest approaches, the debate surrounding Israel's participation continues to spark passionate discussions among artists and activists alike. The tensions highlight the intersection of music, politics, and the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.