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( More than a thousand leaders from the entertainment industry signed an open letter rejecting calls to ban Israel from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest due to the war against Hamas in Gaza.<\/p>\n The move comes after five nations pulled out of the competition after its governing body in December rejected calls to boycott Israel over the war, which was triggered by the Hamas-led onslaught of Oct. 7, 2023.<\/p>\n The latest signatories to the letter include comedian Amy Schumer, actress Mila Kunis, singer Matisyahu, actors Anthony Edwards and Jerry O\u2019Connell, and writers Erin Foster and Matthew Weiner, the pro-Israel industry group Creative Community for Peace, which organized the initiative, said last week.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have been shocked and disappointed to see some members of the entertainment community calling for Israel to be banished from the Contest for responding to the greatest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust,\u201d the letter reads.<\/p>\n \u201cThis current round of fighting is not a war that Israel wanted or started,\u201d the signatories said. \u201cTo punish Israel would be an inversion of justice.<\/p>\n \u201cFurthermore, we believe that unifying events such as singing competitions are crucial to help bridge our cultural divides and unite people of all backgrounds through their shared love of music,\u201d the letter continues. \u201cThose who are calling for Israel\u2019s exclusion are subverting the spirit of the Contest and turning it from a celebration of unity into a tool of politics.\u201d<\/p>\n Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Iceland have pulled out of the contest due to Israel\u2019s participation.<\/p>\n Israel will be represented at the competition by Noam Bettan, 28, who will perform the song \u201cMichelle\u201d in French, Hebrew and English in the annual contest\u2019s first semifinal in Vienna on May 12.<\/p>\n The second semifinal will be held on May 14, followed by the final on May 16.<\/p>\n Over the last two years, Israeli performers have been heckled and booed at the event, even as last year\u2019s representative, Yuval Raphael<\/a><\/span>, won the televote by members of the public and finished in second place overall after she came in 14th place in the jury vote.<\/p>\n Israel, which first took part in the contest in 1973, has won four times: in 1978 with \u201cA-ba-ni-bi\u201d by Izhar Cohen; in 1979 with Gali Atari\u2019s \u201cHallelujah\u201d; in 1998, when Dana International won with \u201cDiva\u201d; and in 2018, when Netta Barzilai\u2019s \u201cToy\u201d took the top spot.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n Apr. 19, 2026
\n \/ JNS
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