Should Israel Be Banned From Eurovision?

[naomi24]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-68238270

[Countrylover]

Again khandro this is  not the right thread for your outbursts.

[naomi24]

I don't think Israel Is losing support from the man in the street.  I don't know anyone who wants a Hamas victory.

[Countrylover]

I dont know anyone who is in agreement with what Israel is doing now, Naomi. 

[fender62]

israel are doing the right thing in gaza, i would have flattened it already, make a highway opening for gazans to go to the west bank...of course, but id vet who gets through, make gaza part or israel forever, thus ends surrounded on two sides, gazans can then go back once they give an oath to israel, then become citizens..rebuild..prosper.

[andy-hughes]

Khandro,  it's not a 'European' contest, it's a Eurovision Contest, the distinction is important.

Contestants are drawn from any country that receives Eurovision broadcasts, and is a member of the Union, that includes Israel, and some Arab territories. 

I think everyone has registered your strongly held view that Israel should not be allowed to complete. 

The difficulty is, if countries were banned on the basis of hostile interactions with other countries, and I do accept that the current situation is both ongoing and extreme, then the Contest would have collapsed years ago.

As I see it, the Israeli entrant has expressed humanitarian and compassionate, rather than political, views, should not mean that the writers of her song - and it is a 'song' Contest, should be denied their chance to present their offering on the world stage, because of the actions of their government, over which they have no control. 

[ichkeria]

"I think everyone has registered your strongly held view that Israel should not be allowed to complete. "

I think you are the only person ébat thinks khandro wants to see Israel  barred  from Eurovision 😂.

As for the right to express "strong views" on Israel this seems as good a place as any 

[naomi24]

Andy Hughes, you've got the wrong end of the stick.

[fender62]

im with andy on this, and why demonise a whole country, im sure there are israeli's who maybe on the same page as khandro, but i imagine thats a tiny minority, to rest..it's a bit of fun, and why not, got a problem, then blame the politicians and not the people, remember this war started after they were elected..so.

[ichkeria]

Khandro supports Israel! FWIW I also support their taking part, for the simple reason that IMO (and yes it is my opinion) the war in Gaza does not warrant such a ban. They could be banned under the rules of the competition if their entry was seen to be in some way overtly political. As far as I know that is not the case - yet.

Earlier I mentioned this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/basketball/68243979

Their choice, but personally i think they made idiots of themselves.

[Togo]

Did anyone else notice that the Irish womens basketball team had refused to shake hands before the game with the Israeli womens team in a show of support for hamas? They lost 87-57 and refused to shake hands afterwards. This was on Thursday in the Eurobasket qualifiers. Haha. Eurobasket is very descriptive.  

[ichkeria]

See the link in my previous post re the basketball. 
Had they been Palestinians I could understand it but, like I said ...

[JACKSON-REACHER]

Perhaps an Israeli and a Palestinian should have a song-off and the rest of the wpuld votes for the winner. Then both sides abides by world opinion 😀 😀 😀 😂