Should Israel Be Banned From Eurovision?

[naomi24]

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

[Canary42]

Yes, they're not part of Europe. It was bloody stupid to expand the bounds of this competition.

[ichkeria]

No.

The Irish women's basketball team already made *** of themselves over a sporting boycott 

[ichkeria]

Israel has been a member of the EBU for decades. 

[davebro3]

meh!

[JACKSON-REACHER]

I agree with a temporary ban. And the same for UEFA*.
They are only given a wildcard because their Arab neighbours have isolated them for decades, and Europe felt sorry for them and allowed them into their organisations.

The terrorist attack on Israel was terrible, and a response tp Hamas was justified. But what is happening to Palestinian people in Gaza is not justified, and sanctions against Israel are justified until they do the right thing.

* Too much money involved in football so UEFA will not ban them even though they should.

 

[naomi24]

Should we not separate sport/Eurovision etc from politics?

[Old_Geezer]

I'm struggling to care.

Does Palestine have an entry ?

[ichkeria]

"They are only given a wildcard because their Arab neighbours have isolated them for decades, and Europe felt sorry for them and allowed them into their organisations."

Not so: repeating what I said above: Israel compete in Eurovision as they are a member of the EBU and  have been since 1973. Several Arab members of the EBU already boycott the event because of Israel's presence.

[ichkeria]

I don't think you can always separate sport etc from "politics". Russia was a rare exception and long may they remain in the wilderness  

[Countrylover]

I agree with Jackson. 

[naomi24]

//I don't think you can always separate sport etc from "politics". Russia was a rare exception and long may they remain in the wilderness  //

 

That sounds to me very much like personal opinion depends upon whose side you're on.   I think it's a great pity that sports people/artists are reaping the fallout from disastrous politics.

[ichkeria]

In the case of Russian sports people many are openly supportive of the war in Ukraine and indeed many are members of the armed forces. In any case, when it comes to the Olympics they are not banned - only track and field athletes because of the continued issues with state sponsored doping. Russian athletes - in various sports from which they are NOT still being banned - are still being retrospectively disqualified for previous offences. 
 

[Peter Pedant]

No they should be made to cover - Frankie goes to Hollywood - When two tribes go to war.....ow ow ow ow

[Peter Pedant]

god this goes back to 1976 when the world psych association was "encouraged" to chuck out the Russians

actually they did - after Linford Rees got a kicking from Bernard Levin ( only names now but famous then)

afterwards when let back in - the russians said it had been a valuable life line for them....

[tomus42]

//I think it's a great pity that sports people/artists are reaping the fallout from disastrous politics.//

It is, but as long as they're representing their country there's no avoiding it. The Olympics gets around it by letting athletes compete under the Olympic flag. 

[ichkeria]

Russia was banned from Eurovision 3 days or so after Putin began is unprovoked invasion of a terrorist-free nation that posed no conceivable threat to Russia. 
Shortly after, Russia withdrew from EBU of its own accord and thereby disqualifies itself from participating in future contests until it returns. 

[JACKSON-REACHER]

The European Song Contest has previously been hosted in Israel.

// Israel won for the first time in Paris in 1978 with the song A-Ba-Ni-Bi performed by Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta. The Eurovision Song Contest travelled to Jerusalem in 1979 where Israel won the competition for the second time in a row. //

[Ellipsis]

It's hard for Ukraine to raise a football team and invite other countries to play there, when they're defending a war that's not of their own making.

In contrast, it's much easier for Russia to raise a football team and invite other countries to play there, when they're the offensive country.

And that's the principle, in this case, why politics gets into sport: if countries make wars, then the sporting arena is not a level playing field.

[Ellipsis]

Oh, sorry, and similarly for Eurovision 😁

[Untitled]

it doesn't really make a difference... our governments hugely sponsor israel and have been very supportive of its genocidal actions in gaza.... so long as we keep sending them money and weapons and unconditionally taking their side on the world stage then what the hell does it matter really?