Gene Simmons, Boy George, Helen Mirren and more support Israel's inclusion in this year's Eurovision

Over 400 celebrities and entertainment industry figures have signed an open letter supporting Israel’s inclusion in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden.

Gene Simmons, Boy George and Helen Mirren have all put their names to the document, amid calls for the nation to be excluded as a result of its ongoing military operations in Gaza.

“We believe that unifying events such as singing competitions are crucial to help bridge our cultural divides and unite people of all backgrounds through their shared love of music,” reads the letter, organised by Creative Community For Peace – an entertainment industry-focused pro-Israel nonprofit.

“Those who are calling for Israel’s exclusion are subverting the spirit of the Contest and turning it from a celebration of unity into a tool of politics.”

Over 400 Entertainment Industry Leaders Rally Behind Israel's Eurovision Inclusion!

Our open letter stands with the contestants and against efforts to politicize the event, emphasizing @Eurovision's power to foster unity through music.https://t.co/WBnrLP3aGr

— Creative Community for Peace (@CCFPeace) February 14, 2024

The letter comes a month after more than 1,000 Swedish artists signed a separate open letter calling for Israel to be banned from the event.

This letter — which was published in Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet — asserted that by including Israel in this year’s Eurovision, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) reveals “a remarkable double standard that undermines the organisation’s credibility.”

“The fact that countries that place themselves above humanitarian law are welcomed to participate in international cultural events trivialises violations of international law and makes the suffering of the victims invisible,” it continued.

A petition signed by nearly 1,400 Nordic artists from Iceland and Finland similarly implored for Israel’s exclusion from the song contest.

Speaking to The Guardian in response to the calls for Israel’s omission, a Eurovision spokesperson said that the contest will remain a “non-political event.”

“The Eurovision Song Contest is a competition for public service broadcasters from across Europe and the Middle East,” they added. “It is a competition for broadcasters – not governments – and the Israeli public broadcaster has participated in the contest for 50 years.”

In 2022, the EBU banned Russia from participating in the contest.