Markin to boycott Eurovision, if Israel allowed to join

Finnish rapper Jesse Markin, one of the seven singers vying to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest on Thursday announced to boycott the contest, if Israel is allowed to participate.

“I am not going to participate, if Israel is allowed to take part,” the singer told in a video posted in his Instagram, adding that he clarified his position responding to people´s queries.

He, however, said his decision does not mean that he was not interested to participate in the Eurovision content.

"I think it is more important to focus human rights issues. ….. I feel under the present circumstance, many Finns agree on this issue," Markin said in the video in Finnish.

The singer also hoped that European Broadcasting Union (EBU) will make such a decision regarding Israel so that Finland will go to Malmö in Sweden where the Eurovision song contest will take place in May.

Meanwhile, national broadcaster Yle in a report on Thursday said that about 1,400 professionals in the Finnish music industry signed a petition calling for Yle to pressure the EBU to ban Israel from this year's contest or to boycott the competition outright.

The signatories of the petition pointed out that Yle was among the first demanded banning Russia from the Eurovision 2022 and now they expect the same active role from Yle.

A number of people across the globe are criticizing the EBU, which organises the Eurovision every year, for allowing Israel to participate in the contest following the genocide in Gaza.