Ireland's Eurovision champion Charlie McGettigan among former contestants calling for Israel to be banned from contest

Over 70 former Eurovision contestants, including Ireland's 1994 winner Charlie McGettigan, have signed an open letter urging the event's organisers to ban Israel and its national broadcaster, Kan.

In the letter, addressed to the European Broadcasting Union, signatories called for the exclusion of Israel from this year's competition 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 open letter referred to 2024's competition as "the most politicised, chaotic and unpleasant in the competition's history." Signatories have also accused Kan, Israel's state broadcaster, of being "complicit" in Israel's role in Gaza.

"The EBU has already demonstrated that it is capable of taking measures, as in 2022, when it expelled Russia from the competition," the letter continued. "We don't accept this double standard regarding Israel."

"As singers, songwriters, musicians and others who have had the privilege of participating in Eurovision, we urge the EBU and all its member broadcasters to act now and prevent further discredit and disruption to the festival," the letter added. "Israel must be excluded from Eurovision."

Israel's involvement caused significant controversy in last year's competition, sparking protests in host city Malmö. 56,000 people had signed a similar petition at the time to ban Israel's participation, which the EBU rejected.

Ireland's contestant Bambie Thug meanwhile ,accused KAN of "inciting violence" against them on multiple occasions. The singer withdrew from dress rehearsals over the incident, with the EBU later confirming that it had spoken with KAN about how they were covering the event.

Read the full letter below:

"Exclude Israel from Eurovision: A call from former Eurovision participants”

“We, the undersigned former Eurovision participants, urge all members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to demand the exclusion of KAN, the Israeli public broadcaster, from the Eurovision Song Contest. KAN is complicit in Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza and the decades-long regime of apartheid and military occupation against the entire Palestinian people.

“We believe in the unifying power of music, which is why we refuse to allow music to be used as a tool to whitewash crimes against humanity. Last year, we were appalled that the EBU allowed Israel to participate while it continued its genocide in Gaza broadcast live for the world to see. The result was disastrous.

“Rather than acknowledging the widespread criticism and reflecting on its own failures, the EBU responded by doubling down — granting total impunity to the Israeli delegation while repressing other artists and delegations, making the 2024 edition the most politicized, chaotic and unpleasant in the competition’s history.

“Silence is not an option. When authoritarian movements and the far-right are on the rise around the globe, our duty to speak out has only become more pressing. We therefore join together to state that the EBU's complicity with Israel's genocide must stop.

“By continuing to platform the representation of the Israeli state, the EBU is normalising and whitewashing its crimes. The EBU has already demonstrated that it is capable of taking measures, as in 2022, when it expelled Russia from the competition. We don’t accept this double standard regarding Israel.

“We stand in solidarity with this year’s contestants and condemn the EBU’s repeated refusal to take responsibility.

“As singers, songwriters, musicians and others who have had the privilege of participating in Eurovision, we urge the EBU and all its member broadcasters to act now and prevent further discredit and disruption to the festival: Israel must be excluded from Eurovision.”