Over 10,000 sign petition demanding Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision

By admin On Mar 24, 2025

The petition handing to Yle. Photo: Hannu Häkkinen

Two petitions calling for Israel to be barred from the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest were submitted to Finnish broadcaster Yle on Monday.

More than 10,000 people signed an open petition, while a separate letter from cultural professionals collected over 500 signatures in under two months. Both petitions urge Yle to demand that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) exclude Israel from the competition. If Israel participates, the signatories ask Yle to withdraw Finland’s entry in protest.

The cultural sector petition was handed to Johanna Törn-Mangs, Yle’s Editor-in-Chief for Creative Content and Media, by a group of prominent artists. These included actors Noora Dadu and Malla Malmivaara, musicians Nemat Battah, Paleface, Pehmoaino, Melo, Lxandra and Miikka Koivisto, journalists Susani Mahadura and Ina Mikkola, DJ Daniel Shaya, and dancer Sonya Lindfors. The public petition was presented by Lili De Paola on behalf of Sumud.

The appeal comes amid Israel’s continued military operations in Gaza, which began in October 2023. According to multiple reports, nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 112,000 injured. The UN Special Committee has stated that Israel’s actions meet the legal criteria for genocide. Israel is also accused of ongoing illegal occupation of Palestinian territories and practising apartheid.

Noora Dadu, speaking at the handover, referenced Eurovision’s previous decisions. “What should Yle do now? Exactly what it did in 2022 with Russia: demand Israel’s removal or pull out if the country is included,” she said.

The petition states that allowing Israel to participate offers a platform for image management while its military actions continue.

“It contradicts our values to allow a state responsible for genocide and occupation policies to improve its reputation under the cover of music. Participating alongside Israel signals acceptance of its actions,” the statement reads.

The EBU has not yet announced any changes to Israel’s status in the 2025 contest. Finland’s selection process for Eurovision has concluded, with its representative expected to compete in the semi-finals unless a decision is made to withdraw.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi