Eurovision and Israel

[tinyme77]

As several countries had boycotted Eurovision as Israel hadn't been kicked out of it following it's bombing of Palestine and starting a war against Iran I was expecting them to get no votes. Please can someone explain why anyone voted for them.

Because the only people watching it are those who either don't care, or actively support Israel's genocide.

It's a song contest

As far as I'm concerned, Israel should never have been allowed to enter in the first place all those years ago. It's not physically a European country...same as Australia. But both their songs were quite catchy so I assume that's why they got the votes?

Because - believe it or not - some panels do just vote on the quality of the music. Mainly countries that have ears have a public vote as a proportion of their final tally. Personally I think a song contest is a really stupid, vacuous and pointless way to ever make any kind of political point. See also: banning Russia. Not everyone in Russia (in fact very few people) agree with the invasion of Ukraine and, guess what, stopping them from participating hasn't exactly hastened the end of the war has it?!

For those who think this sort of thing does not matter read about Basil D'Olivera. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_D%27Oliveira

I suspect the Israeli government dont care about Eurovision in the way that South Africans cared about cricket but sometimes these things do change attitudes.

Because there isn't one view on Israel and Palestine. Many people would point to Hamas starting the war by their actions on October 7th,
Because Israel tends to put up a decent song and some people genuinely vote on the song.
Because the pro-Palestine rallies can be very irritating in the way Just Stop Oil were, even if you are naturally inclined to support them, so Israel will pick up votes from anyone who just wants to piss off their supporters.

Anyone who supports Israel votes for Israel. Anyone who doesn't has their vote split across 24 other countries. The result is naturally that Israel gets a lot of votes.

The recent epidemic of anti-Semitic attacks demonstrates the need for Israel’s existence.

People liked the song?

Dh grew up in apartheid S.A. Sanctions definitely did affect them.

Forgot to add there should be sanctions against Israel just as there were against S.A.

I think the Anti-Apartheid Movement campaigning for worldwide boycotts of ALL sports, including the expulsion of SA from the 1970 Olympics is a million miles away from a song contest. Maybe even two million miles. Chalk and cheese.

Agree. It is a song contest. Shame on those who booed a singer just because he is from Israel.

The public voting patterns for Israel have been strange over the last few years, and it’s reported that the Israeli government see winning Eurovision as a way of improving their image, and indicating to their citizens that Europe supports Israel. It’s a fact the Israeli government spend millions on vote influencing, and they have been accused of vote rigging.

There were posters in a thread on here ages ago saying they they would vote for Israel before the song was released.

It's kind of an anti-virtue signalling. Quietly voting for a country whose plight you support, without needing to make a song and dance on the streets about it. I imagine a lot of people are fed up with those doing the latter thinking they represent the majority view.

I gave 5 votes to israel because I quite liked that michelle song and I wanted to express that there can be noisy pro terrorist marches up and down our country but they stand for jackshit: as a nation we stand with the Jewish community

I gave another 5 votes to the Polish gospel song because I thought she was excellent and it was a bold unexpected choice from poland

@Martymcfly24 what does that have to do with my point?

I would personally prefer if Israel weren't allowed to compete. I don't think any aggressor in any war should.

BUT they were allowed, and they put up a decent song that ticked a lot of classic eurovision boxes, so why shouldn't they get points?

Easy, not everybody thinks the way you do. I voted for Israel.

Russia were banned when they invaded Ukraine. Israel have invaded Lebanon and annexed the southern part and there have been no consequences.

In terms of the votes, the Israeli government try and encourage people via social media to vote for Israel, so anyone that is pro Israel will vote for them, whereas anyone who is against might vote for any one of the other 24 countries, effectively splitting the anti Israel vote.

Would be interesting to see what happened if Palestine were allowed to enter.

But we allow Serbia to participate and they were committing genocide on other Europeans as recently as the early 1990s. We allow Spain and Belgium to participate and they’ve both committed genocide. And what about Germany?

Would have thought it was self explanatory but anyway.

To spell it out people voted for Israel for political reasons irregardless of what the song sounded like.

Should be one vote per person or 3 votes for 3 different countries etc.

@Martymcfly24 but that doesn’t change the fact some people will vote for it simply because they like the song…

@Spaghettimonsta very many Jewish people, including many Israeli citizens, do not support the actions of the Israeli government. Not voting for Israel isn't anti-semitic. I think your voting actions were misplaced although I understand the sentiment behind them.