Finnish Artists Urge Eurovision to Exclude Israel Over Gaza War

The latest controversy surrounding the Eurovision Song Contest involves Finnish music industry professionals signing a petition to ban Israel from participating due to alleged “war crimes” in Gaza. The petition demands that if Israel is not excluded, Finland’s entry should be withdrawn. This follows similar demands made by Icelandic musicians to their national broadcaster last month. The petition accuses Yle, the Finnish public broadcaster, of double standards for demanding a ban on Russia’s participation in the 2022 contest. However, Yle has stated that the situation in Israel and Gaza is different from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the contest’s organizer, is monitoring the situation and has emphasized that the contest is a “non-political event.” The BBC has reached out to Israel’s culture ministry and public broadcaster Kan for comment. This controversy adds another layer of complexity to this year’s Eurovision, which is scheduled to take place in Malmö, Sweden, with the United Kingdom represented by pop star Olly Alexander. Alexander has faced criticism for endorsing a statement accusing Israel of genocide. The Israeli government has dismissed the arguments as “absurd” and claimed that the signatories have an “anti-Israel bias.” The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in a significant death toll, with the majority being women and children. The war escalated after an attack by Hamas gunmen, classified as a terrorist organization by Israel, the US, UK, and other Western governments, on southern Israel. Israel launched air strikes and a ground operation to combat Hamas and free the hostages. The Israeli military’s blockade of Gaza has caused severe deprivation, with UN agencies warning of catastrophic hunger and starvation. Unprecedented displacement has also occurred, with approximately 85% of the Gazan population being displaced and relying on UN facilities for shelter.