Eurovision
A petition signed by over 7,000 people which asks Ireland’s Eurovision entrant Sarah McTernan to pull out of the song contest in Apartheid Israel this week has been delivered to the singer ahead of her scheduled appearance in this Thursday’s semi-final. The signatures were collected online and on the streets over the past two months. The delivery comes a day after Galway City Council passed a motion supporting calls for a boycott of the controversial contest, noting that “it will be openly used for political and militaristic propaganda purposes”. Galway is the third local council to make such a call, … Continue reading →
Posted May 14, 2019 in Apartheid, BDS, Boycott, Cultural Boycott, Eurovision, Galway, Gaza, Hasbara, Human Rights, Jerusalem, Nakba, National Rights, Political Rights, Press releases, Refugees, Right of Return, RTE, Settlements, Siege of Gaza, War Crimes, West Bank.
In an Open Letter published in today’s Irish Times, 32 veterans of the Irish movement against South African apartheid have called for an Irish boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest due to be held in Israel next week, comparing Israel to Apartheid-era South Africa. It is the latest move in the Irish Campaign to Boycott Eurovision 2019 in Apartheid Israel. The signatories to the letter include renowned Dunnes Stores anti-apartheid strikers Mary Manning and Karen Gearon, former Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Secretary of the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement (IAAM) Gary Kilgallen, Rafique Mottiar and Louise Asmal respectively. Further signatories comprise 10 former … Continue reading →
Posted May 10, 2019 in Apartheid, BDS, Cultural Boycott, Culture, Eurovision, Human Rights, National Rights, Political Rights, Press releases, War Crimes.
In response to the call from Palestinian civil society for a boycott of Eurovision 2019 in Apartheid Israel, a whole range of Apartheid Free Eurovision events have been planned around the world – not least here at home in Ireland. So this year, give the Eurovision a miss and come to one of these amazing events instead. You won’t regret it! Tuesday 14th May DUBLIN: BYOB Anti-Apartheid Eurovision Fundraiser for Aida Youth Center (SJP) – 6pm, Jigsaw, Belvedere Court, D1 Saturday 18th May – Eurovision Night! DUBLIN: Palestine – You’re a Vision: Alternative Eurovision Night (PalFest) – 8pm, The Rigside … Continue reading →
Posted May 9, 2019 in Apartheid, BDS, Belfast, Culture, Dublin, Eurovision, Human Rights, National Rights, Palestinian Culture, Political Rights, Press releases, War Crimes.
Ireland must play no part in the art-washing of Israeli oppression, and we are asking the Irish entrant Sarah McTernan not to perform at Eurovision 2019 in Apartheid Israel. Palestinian artists, journalists and civil society groups have asked international artists of conscience to boycott the 2019 Eurovision due to be staged in Israel, due to Israel’s “regime of military occupation, settler-colonialism and apartheid” which is “shamelessly using Eurovision as part of its official ‘Brand Israel’ strategy”. In solidarity with this call from the oppressed Palestinian people we ask you to sign this petition. CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION ASKING … Continue reading →
Posted March 8, 2019 in Action Item, BDS, Cultural Boycott, Culture, Eurovision, Human Rights, National Rights, Petition, Political Rights, Press releases, RTE.
Today, 16th April 2019, an open letter from LGBTQ+ campaigners calling for Irish singer Sarah McTernan to boycott the Eurovision in Apartheid Israel was published by Gay Community News, Ireland’s leading LGBTQ+ magazine and news website. Signatories to the letter include Ailbhe Smith, Senators David Norris and Fintan Warfield, GLEN founders Cathal Kerrigan and Kieran Rose, poet Sarah Clancy and academics Mary McAuliffe, Ursula Barry and Tina O’Toole. The authors inform Sarah McTernan of Israel’s use of ‘pinkwashing,’ which they describe as a “PR tactic used by Israel which cynically exploits support for LGBTQIA people to whitewash its oppression of … Continue reading →
Posted April 16, 2019 in Apartheid, BDS, Cultural Boycott, Culture, Eurovision, Human Rights, Open Letter, Political Rights, Press releases.
With the announcement of Sarah McTernan as Ireland’s entry to the Eurovision in Israel, the Irish Campaign to Boycott Eurovision 2019 in Apartheid Israel held a large protest out RTÉ studios in Donnybrook. Campaigners handed in an additional 5,600 signatures to a petition calling on RTÉ and Ms. McTernan not to take part in the Eurovision, bringing the total number of signatures to over almost 17,000. A new petition calling on Sarah McTernan not to go to Apartheid Israel has been launched – you can sign it here! A protest was also held outside the RTÉ Regional Studios in Waterford … Continue reading →
Posted March 8, 2019 in BDS, Cultural Boycott, Eurovision, Event Report, Human Rights, International Law, International Women's Day, Nakba, National Rights, Photos, Pinkwashing, Political Rights, Press releases, Protest, Right of Return, Video.
Last month, as news began to emerge of how the Israeli state was planning to politicise and militarise the Eurovision Song Contest, the Irish Campaign to Boycott Eurovision 2019 in Apartheid Israel wrote to RTÉ, Ireland’s national broadcaster, with a series of questions regarding how these manoeuvres were going to be dealt with. Almost a month later, and despite following up, RTÉ have refused to respond. What steps are RTÉ taking to ensure that the Irish act chosen for this year will not perform for soldiers from the Israeli military? It should be absolutely unthinkable that the national Irish broadcaster … Continue reading →
Posted March 20, 2019 in BDS, Cultural Boycott, Culture, Ethnic Cleansing, Eurovision, Gaza, Human Rights, International Law, Jerusalem, National Rights, Pinkwashing, Political Rights, Press releases, Right of Return, RTE, War Crimes, West Bank.
At its monthly meeting this week, Sligo County Council voted to call on RTÉ to boycott this years’ Eurovision Song Contest due to take place in Apartheid Israel. The motion notes that “the Eurovision will be openly used for political and militaristic propaganda purposes” and to whitewash Israel’s “ongoing occupation of Palestinian lands, its continued building of illegal colonial settlements in violation of international law and its human rights abuses and war crimes.” The motion, jointly moved by Cllrs. Declan Bree, Gino O’Boyle and Chris MacManus, was unanimously adopted at its meeting on Monday 1st April 2019. Welcoming the motion, … Continue reading →
Posted April 4, 2019 in Apartheid, BDS, Cultural Boycott, Eurovision, Gaza, Human Rights, National Rights, Political Rights, Press releases, Refugees, Sligo, War Crimes, West Bank.
We in the Irish Campaign to Boycott Eurovison 2019 in Apartheid Israel have just found out that there will be a debate on the Eurovision on tonight’s Late Late Show on RTÉ One. For some reason RTÉ have not invited any representative from the boycott campaign to the debate, and instead will have a 2 to 1 stacked panel, with former Eurovision winner Linda Martin and actor – and propagandist for Israel’s apartheid regime – Rory Cowan arguing against a boycott, while well-known singer and human rights advocate Mary Coughlan will be the sole voice arguing in favour. Sarah McTernan, … Continue reading →
Posted April 26, 2019 in Action Item, BDS, Cultural Boycott, Culture, Eurovision, Human Rights, National Rights, Political Rights, Press releases.
The Irish Campaign to Boycott Eurovision 2019 in Israel has learned the shocking news that the Israeli state broadcaster KAN, which is hosting the Eurovision song contest in May, will reserve 500 rehearsal tickets for Israeli soldiers. This despite the competition being billed by the EBU and RTÉ as “a non-political music event”. Furthermore, in an example showing just how political and propagandistic Israel’s hosting of Eurovision is, it was revealed that the locations on the “visual postcards” which RTÉ will broadcast between acts will feature the occupied Golan Heights among other places, likely including the Old City in Palestinian … Continue reading →
Posted February 22, 2019 in BDS, Cultural Boycott, Eurovision, Gaza, Hasbara, Human Rights, National Rights, Political Rights, Right of Return, Settlements, Siege of Gaza, War Crimes, West Bank.
On Tuesday 19th February, Betty Purcell of the Irish campaign to Boycott Eurovision 2019 in Apartheid Israel was a guest on the Moncrieff Show, on Newstalk radio. Betty outlined why we took up the call from Palestine to support a boycott, how Israel uses cultural events like the Eurovision to ‘artwash’ its oppression of Palestinians, the support the campaign has enjoyed so far, and future steps for the campaign. Listen here Betty Purcell on the Irish campaign to bocyott Eurovision 2019 in Apartheid Israel’ [Newstalk, 2019-02-19] – (Download here)
Posted February 20, 2019 in Audio, BDS, Cultural Boycott, Eurovision, Human Rights, National Rights, Political Rights, Press releases.
The Irish Campaign to Boycott the Eurovision in 2019 in Israel welcomes the motion passed by the Dublin Broadcasting Branch of the NUJ on 29th January whereby it states it “will support any member, working in RTÉ or elsewhere, who chooses to exercise a conscientious objection towards involvement in coverage of the song contest.” The motion was passed by a large majority and represents a recognition that the Eurovision contest in Israel presents serious ethical issues for anyone who cares about human rights. We welcome this support for workers choosing not to participate in coverage of the contest, either in … Continue reading →
Posted February 5, 2019 in Apartheid, BDS, Cultural Boycott, Eurovision, Human Rights, National Rights, Political Rights, Press releases, RTE, Settlements, War Crimes, West Bank.
More than 60 queer and trans liberation organizations from nearly 20 countries across Europe and beyond, including from Ireland, are calling on global LGBTQIA communities to boycott the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Israel. The signatories condemn Israel’s “shameful” use of Eurovision, which has a strong following among LGBTQIA communities, to “distract attention from its war crimes against Palestinians” and “forward its pinkwashing agenda, the cynical use of gay rights to distract from and normalize Israel’s occupation, settler colonialism and apartheid.” The statement, initiated by Palestinian queer groups, recalls the 1969 Stonewall Riots symbolizing LGBTQIA resistance against daily harassment and violence, … Continue reading →
Posted January 29, 2019 in BDS, Ethnic Cleansing, Eurovision, Human Rights, Press releases, War Crimes.
Ireland must play no part in the art-washing of Israeli oppression. Palestinian artists, journalists and civil society groups have issued a call for internationals to boycott the 2019 Eurovision due to be staged in Israel, due to Israel’s “regime of military occupation, settler-colonialism and apartheid” which is “shamelessly using Eurovision as part of its official ‘Brand Israel’ strategy”. In solidarity with this call from the oppressed Palestinian people we ask you to join some 17,000 people in signing the Irish petition calling for RTÉ, and all potential participants, to boycott Eurovision 2019 in Israel. CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION … Continue reading →
Posted June 13, 2018 in BDS, Cultural Boycott, Eurovision, Human Rights, Jerusalem, National Rights, Palestinian Culture, Pinkwashing, Political Rights, Press releases.
On Thursday 6th December, to coincide with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU)’s General Assembly, the Irish Campaign to Boycott the Eurovision in Apartheid Israel 2019 wrote to the Director General of RTÉ, Dee Forbes, Rory Coveney, Strategic Advisor to the Director General, and Michael Kealy, Head of RTÉ’s delegation for Eurovision, asking them to call on the EBU not to broadcast any Eurovision events into Israel’s illegal settlements in occupied Palestine. The international campaign, acting in solidarity with Palestinian civil society, has widespread support with over 30,000 people signing a European-wide petition demanding the Eurovision not be held in Israel. … Continue reading →
Posted December 7, 2018 in Cultural Boycott, Culture, Eurovision, Human Rights, National Rights, Political Rights, Press releases, Settlements, West Bank.
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