The calls for a boycott of Eurovision are rising after the announcement that Israel will continue to participate in the international song contest.

The world, as “Newsweek” writes, asked the organizers of the event, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), to ban Israel from participating amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

On October 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, which it said was in retaliation for worsening conditions for Palestinians under Israeli occupation. Israel declared war on Hamas and launched hundreds of air strikes on the Gaza Strip, followed by a ground invasion. At least 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, the Associated Press reported, and more than 19,400 Palestinians have been killed, according to health authorities in Gaza, the AP reports.

People have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to express their dismay at Israel’s participation, with many saying they will not attend the competition, which will be held in Malmo, Sweden. It will be the 50th anniversary of Sweden’s first Eurovision win in 1974, when ABBA won.

“Have we all forgotten that Eurovision allows a genocidal country to take part after we got rid of Russia? Let’s stand in solidarity with Palestine. Boycott Eurovision while Israel still participates”one netizen wrote, referring to the fact that Russia did not participate in the 2022 competition after its invasion of Ukraine.

“Countries announcing their Eurovision entries – amid an angry genocide perpetrated by one of the proposed contestants – are definitely not what they’re supposed to be. #BoycottIsrael #BoycottEurovision”another person wrote.

The EBU responded to the backlash with a statement provided to Newsweek. “The Eurovision Song Contest is a competition for public broadcasters from across Europe and the Middle East. It is a competition for broadcasters – not for governments – and Israel’s public broadcaster has been participating in the Competition for 50 years.

We are a member-driven organization. The governing bodies of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) – led by the Executive Council – represent the members. These bodies reviewed the list of participants and agreed that the Israeli public broadcaster meets all the rules of the competition and can participate in the Competition next year in Malmö, Sweden, along with 36 other broadcasters.

The EBU aligns itself with other international organisations, including sports associations and federations and other international bodies, which have similarly maintained their inclusive stance towards Israeli participants in major events at this time.

The Eurovision Song Contest remains a non-political event that unites audiences around the world through music“, the announcement concludes.

Other X users called for British entrant, singer Olly Alexander, to withdraw from the contest in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Social media users aren’t the only ones calling for a Eurovision boycott, as artists from Iceland have done the same, unless Israel does not participate in the contest.

Iceland’s Union of Composers and Lyricists (FTT) has told its members not to participate in the show unless Israel withdraws from the competition.

The FTT said in a statement: “We all have a duty to take a stand against war and the killing of civilians and innocent children. We always have the choice not to put our names to such things, whether we are individuals or government institutions. We owe it to the nations – who act with military force – not to share with them an event that is always characterized by joy and optimism».

In recent years Iceland has been successful at Eurovision and many speculate that if the 2020 contest had not been canceled due to the pandemic, Dadi Freyr would have won. He came fourth the following year.

In the 2023 contest, Israel took third place thanks to the dance-pop song “Unicorn” by Noa Kirel. Kirel had served in the Israel Defense Forces, completing her mandatory two-year term in February 2022.