Artists and musicians in Sweden, Iceland and Finland had petitioned the European Broadcasting Union to exclude Israel over its atrocities in Gaza
Artists and musicians in Sweden, Iceland and Finland had petitioned the European Broadcasting Union to exclude Israel over its atrocities in Gaza
Israel can compete in this year's Eurovision Song Contest, organisers confirmed on Thursday, again rejecting calls for it to be excluded over the Gaza war like Russia was after invading Ukraine.
On Wednesday, a group of 400 celebrities including British actress Helen Mirren, British singer Boy George and former Kiss frontman Gene Simmons published an open letter supporting Eurovision's decision to maintain Israel's participation.
The letter was issued in response to petitions calling for Israel to be kicked out of the world's biggest live music event, which is being held in Malmo, Sweden, in May.
Approached by AFP, the European Broadcasting Union said it had conducted a review and decided late last year that Israel could participate in the kitsch annual pop extravaganza.
"The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political music event and a competition between public service broadcasters who are members of the EBU. It is not a contest between governments," EBU director general Noel Curran said, reiterating a statement made in January.
Fucking disgusting. Allowing Israel to compete is a fricking Political statement that says that's okay to do a bit of Genocide as long as you are Israel..
Well, yeah... the Bush admin lied about WMD's and led dozens of western democracies into Iraq because of it — Bush, and many members of the US gov/intelligence/military complex, should be in prison for war crimes.
Not to mention that they had already stolen the 2000 election via corruption.
Most of history was written by criminals. That's why shit's fucked yo!
On Wednesday, a group of 400 celebrities including British actress Helen Mirren, British singer Boy George and former Kiss frontman Gene Simmons published an open letter supporting Eurovision's decision to maintain Israel's participation.
First of all, fuck those 3 with rusty rail spikes for their genocide denial and active support for the fascist apartheid regime committing it. They're dead to me.
Second of all, does anyone have a list of the other 397 hateful or at the very least wilfully ignorant beasts?
The current war in Gaza began weeks after Palestinian terrorists murdered 1,400 civilians in Israel and kidnapped over 200 more. Over 130 hostages, the youngest aged 13 months, continue to be held in Gaza.
Variety has a very interesting Zionist choice of words. Penske Media Group is who owns them, and it seems like an interesting pattern going on, with the brands and shows they own. https://www.pmc.com/ This is the real face of American awards, shows and magazines. Pop culture agenda support and love for Israel.
David Draiman, Frontman of the band Disturbed
As much as I love their songs, they hate Russia and love Israel. I do not think I would listen to any of their newer songs after this.
Forget politics... isn't EURO vision a EURO-pean contest? I thought Israel was in the middle east. Of course, I've never watched it, so maybe India and Australia compete as well.
When they say Europe they just mean countries with white western values
Correction: technically it's in the European Broadcasting Union zone. Notice, however, that most of those who compete are from white European countries with matching white Europian culture. There's a reason you don't see Morocco competing except for that one time in the 80s.
Israel tries to be a "European" country and a "Middle Eastern" one all the same. Too bad that what it actually is is a racist apartheid ethnostate.
Eurovision turned to shit when members of the Little Big left the band over participating in it few years ago. This was before Russia ban (Ukraine is led by a Zionist) and now allowing Israel (Zionist terrorism).
Eurovision Songcontest => has something to do with Europe? Israel in a country in Europe? If yes what is with songs from Palestine? Syria? Lebanon? They are not in Europe, but Israel should be? I think this contest is racist. From it's roots.
The technical reason is that Israel is part of the European Broadcasting Union which runs Eurovision which for example Australia has been a part of for the past decade or so, I'm actually not sure if Palestine or any part of Palestine has ever attempted to join this organization, but it does complicate things when you're being occupied in joining organizations. Lebanon is eligible to enter Eurovision because it belongs to a related org to the EBU, but has never chosen to do so because Israel is in the contest. Israel shouldn't be allowed because it's genocidal and a illegitimate settler colonial state, not because of the location. If Israel had never been created, I imagine most of the MENA states in the Arab States Broadcasting Union would have joined the contest.