From top: This week’s Europvision semi final running order. The competition begins tomorrow in Tel Aviv, Israel; Shane Heneghan
The contest that is known for getting far too political will be especially political this year after the victory of one of the least commercially successful Eurovision winners of the past few years from Netta Barzilai of Israel.
When it became apparent that Israel would host this year, the calls to boycott Eurovision were instant. Sinn Féin, Sweden’s left Party and the Australian Greens were all vocal.
A petition in Iceland very quickly gained 23,000 signatures- equivalent to 5% of the population.
The BDS movement hopes people and countries alike will skip this years shin dig and are busy setting up alternative events across the continent.
This is not the first time Israel has hosted the event and not the first time there have been calls for a boycott.
Indeed, Yugoslavia and Turkey refused to send representatives to Jerusalem in 1979 in the politically charged atmosphere just a few years after the Yom Kippur war.
This time around, no nation is boycotting for political reasons. Though Ukraine is staying at home- for reason of internal not external politics.
Local media reports indicate that the numbers travelling to this years contest are way down compared to previous years- though this may have as much to do with geography and the high cost of Tel Aviv as much as politics.
Recently, a group of international celebrities ranging from Marina Abramovic to Stephen Fry signed a letter slamming the boycott and asking for “all our friends and colleagues around the world to express their support for an exciting and successful Eurovision 2019 in Tel Aviv”.
Their endorsement is crowned by Israeli TV’s booking of Madonna for the interval act. The material girl in the Michael Flatley slot is a Kabbalist and has always been strong advocate for Israel.
Despite the aforementioned petition, Iceland will still participate next week with one of this year’s more eye catching acts.
The BDSM clad metal band Hatari believe “we can bring this critical conversation or make awareness of the situation here with our message and with our agenda-setting powers and hopefully we will make awareness to the world through Eurovision.”
Their song – “Hatrið mun sigra” loosely translates to Hatred will prevail. Take from that what you will.
But perhaps the participant to watch is Italy’s Mahmoud. The half-Egyptian has already caused a stir in Salvini‘s Italy with his song Soldi when it won the San Remo festival. It has since broken to the top of the charts and is among the favourites to win the whole thing.
The song has lyrics in Arabic and whilst not political a victory for this song would not be seen as without significance.
For clarity, Palestine is currently ineligible to take part in Eurovision as their broadcaster lacks EBU membership.
Shane Heneghan is a Brussels-based writer and academic. Follow Shane on Twitter: @shaneheneghan
Glad to see you contributing to the site again, Shane – insightful and witty as always.
Boycott is having desired effect. Projected figures of 15,000-18,000 visitors have been revised down to 5,000-7,000. Hotel prices have slashed. Gazan’s won important concessions in improving their horrific living conditions as Israel did not want conflict in Eurovision week. Support a tortured and tormented people by ignoring this hasbara fest on the TV.
Anybody sharing common cause with Marina ‘Spirit Cooking’ Abramovic needs to take a long hard look at themselves.
No they don’t:
https://mitpress.mit.edu/blog/marina-abramovic%E2%80%99s-spirit-cooking
“Eurovision is staving off Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But not for long”
In today’s London Independent
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/eurovision-israel-palestine-madonna-gaza-violence-us-peace-plan-a8910421.html
“But the prospect of long-range rocket fire from Gaza raining down on thousands of terrified tourists in Tel Aviv was too much. Out of nowhere, a truce was announced. Had it not been for Eurovision, I believe, war would have broken out.”
Anyone seen the anti-Eurovision ads on the sides of Dublin Bus?
Netta’s song Toy has 114 million views on YouTube and it is the most watched Eurovision song of all times. It was number one hit in many countries around world. Tel Aviv with expectations of thousands of tourists has put prices too high for ESC up to 450e for final of ESC, while last year were 120e in Portugal. If you add price of food and hotels between 200-300e per night, it turned out to be the main reason why fans decided to stay at home. Hotel prices were slashed one month before ESC, but it was too late. Israeli broadcaster KAN hoped to cover most of cost with tickets but it backfired.
All this Talk about Ireland boycotting the Event…
It does not really matter because the Irish Entry is brutal
And will not even get in to the Final
The bookies reckon The Netherlands will win the lot
2-1 Favourites and they are rarely wrong