11,000 sign petition urging European broadcasters to back Eurovision in Israel
As Palestinian activists call for boycotts of the Tel Aviv event in May, petitioners claim the contest's 'spirit of togetherness is under attack'
More than 11,200 people have signed an online petition calling for the European Broadcasting Union to support the planned Eurovision Song Contest due to be held in Israel in May.
Launched by Creative Community for Peace (CCFP), petitioners said the Eurovision’s “spirit of togetherness is under attack by those calling to boycott Eurovision 2019 because it is being held in Israel, subverting the spirit of the contest and turning it from a tool of unity into a weapon of division”.
Following last year’s win for Israeli entry Netta Barzilai, the annual competition will now be held at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Ground between 14-18 May, the first time that Israel has hosted Eurovision for 20 years.
CCFP’s Eurovision statement says signatories think music “transcends boundaries and brings people together under a common bond”, and that “singing competitions, are crucial to help bridge our cultural divides. The statement adds, that those urging boycotts due to it being held in Israel are “subverting the spirit” of Eurovision.
“While we all may have differing opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the best path to peace, we all agree that a cultural boycott is not the answer.” You can view the petition by clicking here.
But Palestinian activists have begun calling on artists, fans and broadcasters to boycott the competition because of Israeli policies, accusing Israel of “art-washing” (whitewashing alleged crimes through the arts).
Omar Barghouti, the co-founder of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, said Israel was “dying to have such a mega-cultural event” but Barzilai said Eurovision was “a European contest, it’s not Israel, it’s a worldwide thing”.
Public figures from the world of arts and entertainment have called for the BBC to “press for Eurovision to be relocated to a country where crimes against that freedom are not being committed,” but so far no countries have pulled out.
The threat of countries boycotting the competition last year led Israeli officials to change the host city from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, and this week Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said: “We will open our doors to all, as long as those people do not come here as enemies.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
