Finnish musicians have collectively signed a petition, demanding that Israel be excluded from the Eurovision song contest, according to a report by the BBC. The authors of the petition criticize Israel’s involvement in military operations in the Gaza Strip. They argue that if the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organizers of the competition, decide to exclude Israel, then the Finnish TV company Yle should follow suit and withdraw its participation.

Furthermore, the authors of the petition criticize Yle for violating ethical standards by calling for the exclusion of Russia from Eurovision after the event took place in Ukraine. They believe that Yle’s representatives were among the first to advocate for Russia’s exclusion, and therefore, should hold themselves to the same standard.

The European Broadcasting Union made an announcement in December, stating that broadcasters, rather than governments, will be hosting the Eurovision song contest. It was also mentioned that the Finnish company, Yle, is committed to fulfilling all the requirements for participation in the competition.

This latest development adds another layer of controversy to the upcoming Eurovision song contest and raises important questions about the involvement of certain countries. It remains to be seen whether the demands of the petition will be taken into consideration by the organizers and if any changes will be made to the competition’s lineup.