Eurovision 2019: Stephen Fry and Sharon Osbourne among celebrities denouncing proposed boycott

Peter Gabriel, Vivienne Westwood and Roger Waters were among those who signed an open letter asking the BBC to push Eurovision to move the competition from Israel

Stephen Fry, Sharon Osbourne, and Marina Abramović are among the celebrities who have signed a letter rejecting the proposed boycott of this year’s Eurovision song contest, set to take place in Tel Aviv in May.

The statement, released by the non-profit organisation Creative Community for Peace (CCFP), features more than 100 signatories, including comedian Al Murray, Gene Simmons from the band Kiss, music mogul Scooter Braun, actor Tracy-Ann Oberman and Countdown co-presenter Rachel Riley.

It declares that the event's "unifying power' is currently “under attack by those calling to boycott Eurovision 2019 because it is being held in Israel, subverting the spirit of the contest and turning it from a tool of unity into a weapon of division”.

“We believe the cultural boycott movement is an affront to both Palestinians and Israelis who are working to advance peace through compromise, exchange, and mutual recognition. While we all may have differing opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the best path to peace, we all agree that a cultural boycott is not the answer."

"We call on all our friends and colleagues around the world to express their support for an exciting and successful Eurovision 2019 in Tel Aviv," it continues.

Peter Gabriel, Vivienne Westwood and Roger Waters were among those who signed an open letter asking the BBC to push Eurovision to move the competition from Israel.

“Eurovision may be light entertainment,” the letter reads. ”But it is not exempt from human rights considerations – and we cannot ignore Israel’s systematic violation of Palestinian human rights.”

Israel are set to host the singing competition after the country’s entry – Netta, with the song “Toy” – won the 2018 edition.

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, had wanted to hold the 2019 competition in Jerusalem, but the city’s nationality has been heavily disputed, with Palestine claiming ownership over the Israeli-occupied area. The competition will instead take place in Tel Aviv.

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A BBC spokesperson told The Independent that they would still be showing this year’s Eurovision.

“The Eurovision Song Contest is not a political event and does not endorse any political message or campaign,” they said. ”The competition has always supported the values of friendship, inclusion, tolerance and diversity and we do not believe it would be appropriate to use the BBC’s participation for political reasons. Because of this we will be taking part in this year’s event. The host country is determined by the rules of the competition, not the BBC.”

Michael Rice, 21, will represent the UK at the event, which is set to take place on 18 May.