Slovenia Demands Israel's Removal From Eurovision 2025

[EasterIssland]

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-12-22/ty-article/.premium/slovenia-demands-israels-removal-from-eurovision-2025/00000193-ed37-da9f-ad9b-ed7f3d140000

No. That is factually wrong.
Its also wrong by implication. Israel is a remarkably successful state, particularly in the Middle East, in terms of different races and religions co-existing, especially when you consider that it has been created under the shadow of permanent existential threat. The West Bank is a different issue - I and many others hsve been very clear in our criticism of policy in the West Bank. There is no way that Israel proper is comparable to an apartheid state. An apartbeid state by definition is one whose whole structure is geared towards separation and fixed racial hierarchy. A state which is not perfect in various ways does not = an apartheid state. Iran is a good example of a state that enacts sex-based apartheid.

@EasterIssland edited her post to change her meaning completely. Im not playing games

Did you report? I believe that's against talk guidelines.

As for the subject of the thread, it would be a shame not to give Nova survivor Yuval Raphael's ‘A new day will rise’ an airing at Eurovision. It's a hauntingly beautiful song.

Yes I did. And yes I agree.

I was looking for a translation of the Hebrew part of the song and found this:

Hamas operation on Oct 7 invasion into Israel was named "Al Aqsa Flood". The Hebrew part is biblical reference quoted from King Solomon's "song of songs" - "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it". She said in interview that her speaking up about her experience and singing in the Eurovision is her fight back against the evil that she faced.

It’s a beautiful song and Yuval has an amazing voice.

I hope this year Israel get the recognition they deserve for this song. Although we know they won’t from the country votes. I think the public vote will reflect it again though like with Eden last year.

I can’t imagine the kind of sick minds who would support an Oct 7th survivor being forced out of a song contest because they don’t agree with the course of action her government was forced to take in response to the very atrocities that she experienced and witnessed.

Mind you Eden was getting death threats last year. Good that the public votes were a massive ‘up yours’ response to that.

I listened to Yuval's testimony yesterday. She was in a bomb shelter on 7/10, a sitting duck first for bullets, then for grenades. She saw the people she was sitting with blown to pieces.
At the time she couldn't process why there were fewer people after each grenade.

That she can do what she's doing, and so beautifully, is astonishing and heart breaking.

Yuval's audition cover of 'anyone' is exceptional. Her range and delivery gave me goosebumps, especially after hearing of her experience of 7/10. I wish her a long and successful life and hope she gets to share her talent at Eurovision and beyond.

Hamas are now agreeing to a ceasefire and release of hostages again after the protests against their regime in Gaza. Information which will not be made available to their supporters in the West.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/c2bba754b217be3b

I'm currently based in Switzerland for work and, honestly, I don't like the sound of this!

The outcome is obvious and I don't think it will help anyone:

• There will obviously be protests (as there were last year)
• Israel PR will be all: "look, they're bullying an innocent young girl - a victim! How vile!"
• There will be another concerted effort to drive the vote (see last year)!
• People will be arrested, and that will drive more resentment; opinion pieces will be written and that will do the same!

Personally, I think it'd be right for Israel to be treated the same as Russia. But even if it's not: it could have fielded a non-political contestant with an utterly unpolitical text along the lines of [just making this up here] "Party All Night" or something! But they chose not to!

As someone who lives here for now: I think we deserved better! Nemo's winning performance was insane and very well earned! We shouldn't have to put up with any of this!

I thought last years Israeli initial song was not allowed because having references to 7oct and they had to change the lyrics. Im surprised that this years is allowed to have lyrics referencing to 7-oct

Which lyrics are you referring to in this year's song? It's about love and hope conquering pain and loss, surely that's a good message.

(I heard that protesters got the word October taken from the title last year, can't imagine why they would want people not to think about that word.)

No offence, but is this the right thread for your posts? Did you mean for them to be on the 'anti-hamas protests in Gaza' thread?

Your comment here made me think it’s got references to 7-oct. apologies if I misunderstood you

People have made an oblique connection to the so-called 'Al-Aqsa flood' and the apparent extract from the Song of Solomon about love being stronger than a flood.

An english lit. student might tell you, you can make connections to texts and back up your arguments, but only the author knows their true intent.

Honi soit qui mal y pense & all that.

I have no degree in EngLit - but I live here!

Look, the whole "the singer is a Nova survivor", the title, the Hebrew verse which might or might not [I shall operate under the assumption that the ambiguity is strategic?] make reference to 7 Oct ...

Again .. WHY did they have to do this?

WHY could they not have fielded some rando with "All the Cute Boys Love Other Girls" or whatnot?

As a local resident: I resent this shit! Also: currently evaluating "where to go on a totally random holiday while all of this goes down". We genuinely deserved better here than to be made an ideological battle ground for Israeli PR!

I do resent that!

Honi soit indeed! We did not ask for this here!

Who do you think is most likely to cause trouble?

Yes how dare a victim of a terror attack be allowed to enter a si ging competition that has absolutely never been about politics.

Never never …. I’d not say never …

In case this is addressed to me, I can predict this one pretty clearly:

• Pro-Palestine people will stage massive protests and draw crowds from all over Europe
• Police brutality will be off the charts (this is not particularly subject specific - if you happen to be used to British policing standards: German speaking world policing will leave you fucking speechless!)
• Someone will inevitably spray "dismantle israel" onto a railway car or something.
• Israeli ambassador/government/lobbyists will be all "woe us! - why are they bullying an innocent young girl?"
• People will get arrested - there will be massive legal pushback!
• Everyone will be angrier after all is said and done!

In other words and in answer to your question: Israel by deliberately provoking. Protesters by the inevitable few breaching whatever the powers that be deem "acceptable". The state by once again brutally cracking down - and alienating nice bourgeois people in their 40s over their kids getting arrested - again!

Literally everyone!

People making trouble at a music concert because 'Israel provoked them'......who was it that said history doesn't repeat itself but it rhymes?

There is a significant difference between "someone who experienced something horrible speaking about it" [totally acceptable, even welcome!] and "a state engaged in an openly eliminatory campaign of violence instrumentalising the former for PR in an ostensibly non-political forum" [I reject that, categorically!].

Again, as a local resident: tell me why I should put up with what this will do to my local community? I am looking to get out "on a holiday" for the time - as are so many of my friends and neighbours.

But this is not fair on us! We fucking live here!

I might feel differently if Palestinians were also in the ESC (they are not!) but: how is it okay that I feel I need to flee from my own home over "Israel wants to do propaganda - and this is going to get ugly?!"

ETA: I would be TOTALLY fine with the same singer and the same song with the same text performing locally. I resent the "this is a state thing now - and expect several friends to be arrested and bludgeoned by the police!".

There is ONE WHOLE WORLD of difference between the two!