Madonna urged to boycott Eurovision 2019 by Palestinian militants

Madonna fans have asked the pop star to cancel her project to perform at the Eurovision Song Contest held this year in Israel.

A group of Palestinian academics and intellectuals from the West Bank issued an open letter calling on the Vogue singer to boycott the May 18 event for what he claims to be the Israeli government's persistent effort "to mask the oppression growing numbers of Palestinians.

Aged 60, he is expected to come on the scene in the annual competition in Tel Aviv. The European Broadcasting Union confirmed to Haaretz that the singer would perform two songs.

But the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) – part of a boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign – claimed that its appearance would be used as propaganda by the Israeli government .

"The Palestinians hope that you will not compromise our struggle for freedom, justice and equality by performing a show at Eurovision, in Tel Aviv's apartheid, on the ruins of the village. Al Shaykh Muwannis, who was ethnically cleansed, "says the letter.

"The Palestinian artists' call for Israel's Eurovision boycott is backed by more than 100,000 petition signatures, more than 100 LGBTQIA groups, more than 20 Israeli artists and hundreds of prominent international artists, including winner of Eurovision 1994.

"The far-right fanatical Israeli government cynically exploits your performances, as well as those of the candidates, to mask its growing oppression of the Palestinians."

Recent United Nations statements have condemned Israel for what it called human rights violations.

Roger Water, Brian Eno and filmmakers Ken Loach and Mike Leigh have all recently signed a letter published in The Guardian, in which they support a call from Palestinian artists.

Other signatories include novelist Yann Martel, actress Julie Christie, screenwriter and director Peter Kosminsky and British band Wolf Alice.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2019 is set to take place in Israel after the 2018 contest has been won by Israeli entry Netta with his song Toy.

Metro.co.uk has contacted Madonna's representatives for a comment.