Andrew Jones is a senior desk editor.
LONDON — A group of artists set to compete in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest said Friday they “do not feel comfortable being silent” in light of the ongoing Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip, but stopped short of heeding growing calls for a boycott of the music competition over Israel’s participation.
BBC, the United Kingdom's public broadcaster, which chooses the British entry, distanced itself from the letter. “These are the views of Olly Alexander. He is not speaking for the BBC,” it said in a statement. The group of more than 450 artists and activists under the banner Queers for Palestine had posted the open letter Thursday saying “We ask you to heed the Palestinian call to withdraw from Eurovision.
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