More than 70 former European TV contestants reportedly signed an open letter urging organizers to ban Israel and its national broadcaster Kann during this year's competition.

In a letter addressed to the European Broadcasting Union, participants such as British musician Mae Muller, Ireland's 1994 winner Charlie McGettigan, as well as Portuguese singer Fernando Tordo called for Israel's exclusion over the country's “genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza and the decades-long regime of apartheid and military occupation against the entire Palestinian people.”

The letter refers to the war in the region that has claimed more than 50,000 Gaza's lives so far. Tensions escalated over decades of tensions, killing nearly 1,200 people when Hamas militants launched an armed invasion at the Israeli music festival on October 7, 2023.

The ongoing Israeli air strikes on Gaza were the source of controversy in the Eurovision Song Contest held in Sweden last year, which said was “the most politicized, chaotic and unpleasant person in the history of the competition.”

Israel's Eden Golan ranked fifth in the 2024 competition after all kinds of radiation and uproar between representatives and spectators. More than 56,000 people signed a similar petition calling for a ban on the Israeli ban from that year, while elsewhere, the Icelandic Association of Composers and Lyricists, as well as 1,400 industry professionals in Europe have also called for a moratorium on the Golan.

In 2025, the final of the beloved and Zany singing competition was held in Basel, Switzerland on May 17, where Israeli contestant Yuval Raphael will perform "A New Day Will Rise".

But the signatories accused the broadcaster of being "co-conspirators" in the war. Israel has repeatedly denied that its attacks amount to genocide, and court proceedings from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of the United Nations top court are underway.

The letter continued: "EBU has proven it can take steps, like when expelling Russia from its competitors in 2022. We do not accept this double standard about Israel." Thea Garrett of the 2010 Malta player said: "This is not the rule of Russia, it is a completely different rule for Israel. You bomb, you are not here."

"Just like singers, songwriters, musicians and others who have the privilege of participating in Eurovision, we urge EBU and all its members to take action now and prevent further smear and destruction of the festival: Israel must be excluded from Eurovision."

Hollywood Reporter Contacted EBU and KAN for comment.

EBU may face mass boycott again. Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood and Israeli musician Dudu Tassa were forced to cancel two British boycotts of Pro-Palestine, as well as threats related to the protests on Tuesday. "The show that scares tabies' venues attract us does not help achieve peace and justice for everyone in the Middle East," the pair said in response.

Elsewhere, Irish rap trio Kenny (Rap Trio Kneecap) has also attracted criticism. Last month, the band managed to get American Coachella crowds to chant "Free Palestine" in the scene and called on British Conservative MPs to die, which further stuck them into controversy. The British counterterrorism police are even investigating the band.