I HOPE I’m not alone in welcoming Steph Paton’s article “Boycotting Eurovision is a small but necessary act” (May 6). I’m going to look to see if there’s a #boycott that I can use, or maybe start one in an effort to show and garner further support for Palestine.
Yes, it would be a small act compared to, say, the students and marchers across the world. But the hypocrisy generated since October 7 – from ineffectual hand-wringing to continued arms and munitions sales and now, as S Paton says, the art-washing of daily death and destruction – needs to be called out everywhere and whenever possible. That should include Eurovision, run by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
READ MORE: Irish Eurovision finalist: Organisers made me alter pro-Palestine message
The layering of memberships and functions of the EBU are multitude and frankly unctuous in the union’s ability to look, look away and overlook.
Membership of the EBU is for broadcasting organisations whose countries are within the European Broadcasting Area, as defined by the International Telecommunication Union, or are members of the Council of Europe.
Israel was permitted entry into Eurovision more than 50 years ago because the country’s national broadcaster was and is a member of the EBU.
The EBU announced it had conducted a recent review and concluded Eurovision was not a “contest between governments” and that Israel had not broken any rules. Russia, however, was excluded from recent Eurovision contests because of the way its broadcasters had flouted “membership obligations”. It would appear there are varying degrees of “membership obligations”. Causing 30,000-plus deaths does not appear to fit the scope of flouting obligations. But then, on Sunday May 5 Israel shut down Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel and seized some of its communication equipment. Freedom of the press? Free speech? Will the EBU respond?
READ MORE: UK Eurovision entrant is 'ambivalent' about 'divisive' Union flag
The UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric has already condemned that closure of Al Jazeera, by noting “A free press provides an invaluable service to ensure that the public is informed and engaged.” And how ironic that the Foreign Press Association (FPA) based in Israel said the move was “a dark day for democracy” and “a cause for concern for all supporters of a free press.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists said it “sets an extremely alarming precedent for restricting international media outlets working in Israel.” This is the same committee that concluded preliminary investigations showed at least 97 journalists and media workers have been killed since the war began. It was only fitting that the committee issued that information on May 3, long ago designated World Press Freedom Day!
If all I can do is look for that #boycott and march, or write the odd letter, then so be it! I will #BoycottEurovision. Anyone else?
Selma Rahman
Edinburgh
THERE is no doubt that the hypocrisy of banning Russia but not Israel will taint the Eurovision ideal for years to come. There is no justification for the continued presence of Israel at this event given the egregious ethnic-cleansing genocide being perpetrated in Gaza against a people with no standing army of defensive capability.
The West has abandoned all decency in its complicity with the far-right racist Netanyahu regime, and we can only hope that there is appropriate audience reaction when the Israeli entry performs at Thursday’s semi-final, hopefully thereafter to be off home with tail between the legs, nul points at Eurovision is the very least the world can do.
Gordon Mulholland
via thenational.scot
NON-POLITICAL my arse, the mere fact that Israel is allowed to participate in Eurovision is an out and out form of music-washing. Israel is a Western colony pretending that there’s nothing to see here and look, apart from killing innocent Palestinian civilians, we’re just like you Europeans, all clean, entertaining and nice. So if the organisers are willingly allowing Israel to appear, then it should also willing to accept criticism and the accusation of hypocrisy in allowing them a platform.
Roy Loughran
via thenational.scot
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel