Peter Gabriel, Vivienne Westwood and Roger Waters are among those British cultural figures to sign an open letter asking the BBC to push Eurovision on moving the competition from Israel.

“Eurovision may be light entertainment,” the letter published in The Guardian reads, ”but it is not exempt from human rights considerations – and we cannot ignore Israel’s systematic violation of Palestinian human rights.”

Israel are set to host the singing competition after the country’s entry – Netta, with the song “Toy” – won the 2018 edition.

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, had wanted to hold the 2019 competition in Jerusalem, but the city’s nationality has been heavily disputed, with Palestine claiming ownership over the Israeli-occupied area. The competition will instead take place in Tel Aviv.

Eurovision 2018 performances Show all 38 1 /38 Eurovision 2018 performances Eurovision 2018 performances Cyprus' singer Eleni Foureira performs the song "Fuego" AFP Eurovision 2018 performances Israel's singer Netta performs the song "Toy" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Belgium's singer Sennek performs the song "A Matter Of Time" AFP Eurovision 2018 performances Estonia's singer Elina Nechayeva performs the song "La Forza" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Croatia's singer Franka performs the song "Crazy" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Albania's singer Eugent Bushpepa performs the song "Mall" AFP Eurovision 2018 performances Czech Republic's singer Mikolas Josef performs the song "Lie To Me" AFP Eurovision 2018 performances Ireland's singer Ryan O'Shaughnessy performs the song "Together" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Swiss duo ZIBBZ's singer Corinne Gfeller performs the song "Stones" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Bulgarian group Equinox' singer Zhana Bergendorff (R) performs the song "Bones" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Lithuania's singer Ieva Zasimauskaite performs the song "When We're Old" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Finland's singer Saara Aalto performs the song "Monsters" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Greece's singer Yianna Terzi performs the song "Oniro Mou" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Austria's singer Cesar Sampson performs the song "Nobody But You" AFP Eurovision 2018 performances Azerbaijan's singer Aisel performs the song "X My Heart" AFP Eurovision 2018 performances Iceland's singer Ari Olafsson performs the song "Our Choice" AFP Eurovision 2018 performances Armenia's singer Sevak Khanagyan performs the song "Qami" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Macedonian duo Eye Cue's lead vocalist Marija Ivanovska (R) and guitarist Bojan Trajkovski perform the song "Lost And Found" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Belarus' singer Alekseev performs the song "Forever" AFP Eurovision 2018 performances Norway's singer Alexander Rybak performs the song "That's How You Write A Song" AFP Eurovision 2018 performances Romanian band The Humans perform the song "Goodbye AFP Eurovision 2018 performances Serbia's band Sanja Ilic & Balkanika perform the song "Nova Deca" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances San Marino's Jessika featuring Jenifer Brening perform the song "Who We Are" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Denmark's singer Rasmussen performs the song "Higher Ground" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Poland's singer Gromee feat. Lukas Meijer performs the song "Light Me Up" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Australia's singer Jessica Mauboy performs the song "We Got Love" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances The Netherlands' singer Waylon performs the song "Outlaw In 'Em" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Ukraine's singer Melovin performs the song "Under The Ladder" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Sweden's singer Benjamin Ingrosso performs the song "Dance You Off" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Slovenia's singer Lea Sirk performs the song "Hvala, ne!" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Latvia's singer Laura Rizzotto performs the song "Funny Girl" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Hungary's band Aws perform the song "Viszlat Nyar" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Malta's singer Christabelle performs the song "Taboo" AFP Eurovision 2018 performances The Netherlands' singer Waylon performs the song "Outlaw In 'Em" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Georgia's group Ethno-Jazz Band Iriao performs the song "For You" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Montenegro's singer Vanja Radovanovic performs the song "Inje" AFP Eurovision 2018 performances Russia's singer Julia Samoylova performs the song "I Won't Break" Getty Eurovision 2018 performances Moldova's group DoReDoS perform the song "My Lucky Day" AFP

The letter, also signed by the band Wolf Alice and director Mike Leigh, continues: “The European Broadcasting Union chose Tel Aviv as the venue over occupied Jerusalem – but this does nothing to protect Palestinians from land theft, evictions, shootings, beatings and more by Israel’s security forces.

“When discrimination and exclusion are so deeply embedded, Eurovision 2019’s claim to celebrate diversity and inclusion must ring hollow. Much more in tune with ‘inclusivity’ is the outpouring of support across Europe for the Palestinian call for artists and broadcasters not to go to Tel Aviv.

“The BBC is bound by its charter to ‘champion freedom of expression’. It should act on its principles and press for Eurovision to be relocated to a country where crimes against that freedom are not being committed.”

Others to have signed the letter include actor Maxine Peake, director Ken Loach and the writer AL Kennedy.

The BBC spokesperson told The Independent that they would still be showing this year's Eurovision.

“The Eurovision Song Contest is not a political event and does not endorse any political message or campaign," they said.

"The competition has always supported the values of friendship, inclusion, tolerance and diversity and we do not believe it would be appropriate to use the BBC’s participation for political reasons. Because of this we will be taking part in this year’s event. The host country is determined by the rules of the competition, not the BBC.”