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 contest to be held in Vienna in May. 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.
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.
