No Music For Genocide (NMFG) is a cultural boycott movement that brings together more than a thousand artists to remove their music from online streaming platforms in Israel in response to the genocide in Gaza. Prominent members and supporters currently include massively influential voices like Björk, Lorde, and Paramore’s Hayley Williams. Now, the group’s open letter is encouraging a complete boycott of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest until Israel’s national broadcaster KAN is banned from the competition.
Israel first appeared in Eurovision 53 years ago, and the state has had its presence contested ever since. The first major Eurovision boycott due to Israeli interference in Palestine was in 2019, with the boycotts continuing and growing in 2024, 2025, and now 2026.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has greatly contributed to lobbying for Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision, the largest music event in the world that amassed more than 160 million viewers in 2025. Since his presidency began in 2021, Herzog has been one of the key figures in Israel’s perpetuation of genocide and illegal attacks throughout the region.
In addition to Israel’s assaults against Palestinians, the apartheid state has also extended its attacks into Lebanon and Iran. Israel has been condemned by human rights groups, national governments, and international organisations, including the UN. Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia, Spain, and the Netherlands have all opted out of the 2026 Eurovision contest in protest of Israel’s participation, with more national finalists all across the continent pledging to withdraw should they have been chosen to represent their countries.
RTÉ’s statement on Ireland’s boycott cites the “appalling loss” in Gaza and the “targeted killing of journalists” as reasons why the country refuses to participate in the Eurovision alongside Israel. The open letter published by NMFG includes signatures from multiple Irish artists, including Kneecap, Fontaines D.C., and The Mary Wallopers.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) previously banned Russia from Eurovision in 2022 following the country’s invasion of Ukraine, and Russia has yet to return after national broadcasters suspended their memberships in the EBU. While the EBU stands firm in its apolitical identity, it remains clear that they are able to exclude participants from Eurovision in cases of conflicting values.
In a press release, NMFG reaffirms its commitment to “fighting complicity in every industry for a free Palestine and a freer world.” Regarding the EBU’s inclusion of Israel in Eurovision, long-time pro-Palestinian group Kneecap reminds officials: “That’s not neutrality. That’s a choice.”
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