50 British Artists Have Signed Letter Asking BBC to Lobby Against Tel Aviv Hosting Eurovision

A group of 50 British artists, ranging from designer Vivienne Westwood, rock musician Roger Waters, director Ken Loach to actor Maxine Peake, have signed a letter published in The Guardian on Tuesday (January 29) asking the BBC to lobby against Israel hosting the upcoming 2019 Eurovision song competition.

“For any artist of conscience, this would be a dubious honour,” the letter writes in reference to any musician taking part in ‘You Decide’, the broadcast competition show that decides who will represent the UK in Eurovision.

“They and the BBC should consider that You Decide is not a principle extended to the Palestinians, who cannot decide to remove Israel’s military occupation and live free of apartheid.

“When discrimination and exclusion are so deeply embedded, Eurovision 2019’s claim to celebrate diversity and inclusion must ring hollow.

“(Eurovision should be held) where crimes against freedom are not being committed.”

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