More than 100 global artists, including many famous singers and musicians, have signed a statement called for the boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest hosted by Israel.
In a letter to the paper published on Friday, the artists said they were responding to an appeal by Palestinian artists calling on them to boycott the European event slated to be held in Israel, next year.
āWe, the undersigned artists from Europe and beyond, support the heartfelt appeal from Palestinian artists to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest 2019Ā hosted by Israel,ā the statement read.
The artists called for halting all kinds of business with Israel until it recognizes the basic rights of Palestinians. āUntil Palestinians can enjoy freedom, justice and equal rights, there should beĀ no business-as-usualĀ with the state that is denying them their basic rights.ā
About the reason of the boycott, the artists said: āOn 14 May, days after Israelās Eurovision win, theĀ Israeli army killedĀ 62 unarmed Palestinian protesters in Gaza, including six children, and injured hundreds, most with live ammunition.
Amnesty International has condemnedĀ Israelās shoot-to-kill-or-maim policy andĀ Human Rights WatchĀ described the killings as āunlawful and calculatedā.ā
The statement concluded: āEurovision 2019 should be boycotted if it is hosted by Israel while it continues its grave, decades-old violations of Palestinian human rights.
āWe understand that the European Broadcasting Union is demanding that Israel finds a ānon-divisiveā location for the 2019Ā Eurovision. It should cancel Israelās hosting of the contest altogether and move it to another country with a better human rights record. Injustice divides, while the pursuit of dignity and human rights unites.ā
~ The Guardian/Days of Palestine
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