Actually, it should be a "no-brainer" to exclude Israel under the current circumstances, Bergman tells TT.
The criticism concerns the EBU's decision to allow Israel to participate despite the war in Gaza, which the signatories compare to the exclusion of Russia in 2022.
In an open letter from the campaign group No Music For Genocide, artists and fans are urged to boycott the competition unless Israel is excluded.
Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and Iceland have chosen to withdraw from the competition to be held in Vienna in May, and Marit Bergman is surprised that Sweden has not followed their example.
When someone like me is in contact with people in Gaza more or less daily, it becomes obvious that the ceasefire thing is a joke, and it is terribly sad and frustrating to stand by and watch, she says.
The ongoing legal process against Israel in the International Court of Justice in The Hague should be enough to prevent Israel from being allowed to "music-wash its reputation in Eurovision", she believes:
But obviously it's not enough, and I'm really disappointed in us as a country.
Even the 2024 winner, Nemo, has protested by returning his trophy to the EBU.
The EBU stands by Israel's participation but has introduced new voting rules to reduce audience influence after last year's voting debate.
