It’s very much explainable I thought - like they also influence USA politics - they probably influence a lot of other countries and/or international organisations through lobbying/money etc. So I’d have just assumed anyway.
Eurovision 2026 | Israel allowed to compete | Netherlands, Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, Iceland withdraw
- Thread starter Port Vale Devil
- Start date
And now for giving us Patrick Dorgu
Why are people surprised/outraged? They were obviously going to be allowed to take part.
An Israeli company is the main sponsor of the event and if they were allowed to take part last year they were obviously going to take part this time around since Trump's ceasefire.
An Israeli company is the main sponsor of the event and if they were allowed to take part last year they were obviously going to take part this time around since Trump's ceasefire.
The BBC backs the decision to allow Israel to join Eurovision 2026
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...6-ireland-spain-netherlands-ebu-b2878352.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...6-ireland-spain-netherlands-ebu-b2878352.html
Probably nothing out there capable of attacking windows 95 now, so they'll probably be ok.
Based on what bits Ive seen or heard of about this, Im not necessarily surprised given the amount of pro Israel platforms that seemed to have gone all in on BBC hit pieces recently accusing it of being pro Hamas. Being a good journalist has to be exhausting these days especially.
The crimes Eurovision commits are just as bad as the crimes Israel commits.
I struggle to salute those willing to drop the cheese for a year.
I struggle to salute those willing to drop the cheese for a year.
Fair play to those pulling out. I hope a lot more follow suit. Israel should never have been allowed, even more now.
Hopefully it ends up with Israel competing against themselves.
Have lost hope that our spineless lot of Israel bought shills will do the right thing and pull UK out as well.
Have lost hope that our spineless lot of Israel bought shills will do the right thing and pull UK out as well.
France, Germany and the UK will stick with them no matter what. They could kill a Palestinian child on stage and Merz would call the critics antisemitic.
Israel have a copy of Bonzibuddy on a usb somewhere
Portugal will participate... spineless cnuts.
yes they are. pity
Even more so think I read Germany threatened to boycott it if Israel gets banned from it. We're an embarrassment
I heard Germany flag changing colours to blue & white.
Only if Markus Söder gets his wish
England will pull out because, Brexit innit
They will just cancel it if they do.
(England aren't in Eurovision)
Correct it’s the U.K. who participate
Iceland have confirmed their withdrawal, so 5 countries now boycotting over Israel's participation.
Good on them. Wish my country had done the same.
Good to see decency prevailing in some countries at least.
Hope more will follow.
Sadly I'm not sure it's likely at this stage, think the deadline to withdraw without penalty is this week and Iceland were the only question mark remaining. But Portugal might have an issue, 12 out of the 16 artists invited to the Festival da Cancao have stated they will refuse to go to Eurovision if they win. That means they could be faced with the final being entirely made up of people who won't go to Eurovision, leaving them with the option of either sending someone who got knocked out in the semi finals or just withdrawing.
If Israel haven't been barred from appearing in Eurovision already, then it's never going to happen. So, will these same countries just drop it for this year and appear next year?
The situation does stink. Israel participating has been 'uncomfortable' to say the least. It shouldn't be allowed, but yet it has been allowed. It does feel wrong and I can't exactly grumble against these countries for making their position clear. But, it sucks for the audience who have no say in this whatsoever and it is going to be a different competition without these countries, especially if more decide to take the same line.
The situation does stink. Israel participating has been 'uncomfortable' to say the least. It shouldn't be allowed, but yet it has been allowed. It does feel wrong and I can't exactly grumble against these countries for making their position clear. But, it sucks for the audience who have no say in this whatsoever and it is going to be a different competition without these countries, especially if more decide to take the same line.
Who knows. Depends a lot on the situation, I guess. But I find it almost impossible to believe that Israel will change course. Gaza might improve slightly but the crime and barbarity on the West Bank surely won’t.
Countries like Ireland and Spain seem very principled on this. Wouldn’t surprise me if they continue the boycott.
Some of those countries should just start a new competition. Betcha there would be enough interest from those with long standing grievances with Eurovision's organization in general, regardless of Israel.
Thanks Keir Starmer
Well done to those 5 countries. Disappointed that Iceland is the only Nordic country on the list.
Yes! they should start a European song contest for European countries.
Pretty novel idea that
Right? When I was a kid that's what it was.Pretty novel idea that
I leave for a "few" years and then I check in and I see Australia and Israel are competing. WTF are you guys doing over there?
What a shitshow. Keep em tumbling until it's just the uk, Germany and the Israel trading genocide story.
Hopefully this continues to fissure.
The Germans are awful feckin eejits altogether. They're so hell bent on trying to make up for their past that they're now willing to overlook Israel doing some of the same stuff the Germans did.
Portuguese artists and culture are generally very left wing, this was always inevitable. Hopefully RTP rethinks their position to avoid the embarrassment.
2024 winner Nemo is handing his trophy back out of protest.
Find it strange Norway haven't withdrawn also.
I wonder if there is still any chance the EBU will reconsider the decision. It's come out this week that Israel ran an extensive government-organized lobbying campaign to make sure they would get enough votes to participate in Eurovision again. I read about it in my Dutch newspaper, but I found this English Israeli source now:
https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/rjx22d1mwg
That's clear government interference and goes exactly against everything the EBU has been saying about Israel's involvement ('we're non-political', and so on). They of course also have their very own evidence that the Israeli government extensively campaigned internationally for their contestant last year.
Plenty of grounds for dismissal due to political interference - no?
No, of course. Not for the EBU.
https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/rjx22d1mwg
That's clear government interference and goes exactly against everything the EBU has been saying about Israel's involvement ('we're non-political', and so on). They of course also have their very own evidence that the Israeli government extensively campaigned internationally for their contestant last year.
Plenty of grounds for dismissal due to political interference - no?
No, of course. Not for the EBU.