Belgian musicians join 1,000 artists calling for Eurovision boycott
More than 1,100 European artists have called for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest next month, in protest at the participation of Israel. Among them are dozens of Belgian musicians, including Het Zesde Metaal, Isolde Lasoen, Absynthe Minded, Amatorski, Lady Linn and Geike Arnaert.
This year’s contest is due to take place in Vienna from 12-16 May. The artists’ open letter condemns the fact that this is the third edition in which Israel will be “celebrated onstage despite its ongoing genocide in Gaza”, while Russia is banned for its invasion of Ukraine.
Among the signatories are prominent international artists, including Brian Eno, Massive Attack, Sigur Rós, Ólafur Arnalds and Roger Waters, alongside former Eurovision winners Emmelie de Forest and Charlie McGettigan.
They say the contest is being used by Israel to normalise the genocide, siege and occupation of Palestine and call for a boycott until the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) excludes the Israeli public broadcaster KAN. Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia and the Netherlands have already withdrawn in protest.
“We applaud the principled withdrawals of the Spanish, Irish, Icelandic, Slovenian, and Dutch broadcasters, and the many national selection finalists committing to refuse to go to Eurovision,” they write. “Just as artists stood against oppression in South Africa, we stand together now.”
"As artists, we recognise our collective agency – and the power of refusal"
They denounce the role of Israeli president Isaac Herzog in lobbying broadcasters not to exclude Israel from the contest, and accuse the EBU of hypocrisy for banning Russia and not Israel.
“As artists, we recognise our collective agency – and the power of refusal,” they say. “We refuse to be silent. We refuse to be complicit. We call on others in our industry to join us. And we stand in solidarity with all principled efforts to end complicity in every industry.”
A journalist at the Stadthalle during preparations for the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, 9 2026 © PHOTO JOE KLAMAR / AFP
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