After outraging the Basque country, Kosovo and re-opening the debate over Crimea – in the process reviving tensions between Ukraine and Russia – it’s now Palestine who’s protesting against the very controversial banned flags list for the Eurovision Song Contest 2016.

ebu banned flags 2

THE PALESTINIAN MINISTRY OF CULTURE’S REACTION

Upon releasing the infamous “flag policy”, the EBU has been heavily criticized by the concerned parties. Of course, they are not only annoyed by the banning of their flags, but mostly outraged to be featured in the same list as ISIS.

Palestine was quick to express its dissatisfaction too through a condemning statement from the Palestinian Ministry of Culture, who states that this decision is a: “humiliation to the history, culture and rights of the Palestinian people, who have the right to raise their flag in international events and festivals like every country in the world”. The statement also reads: “This decision goes against the international efforts to bring stability and justice for our people, who have the right to live peacefully and in dignity, especially after Palestine officially joined the United Nations and its flag was raised in front of their headquarters”.

PALESTINIAN LIBERATION ORGANIZATION’S REACTION

The Secretary General of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Saeb Erekat, expressed his indignation in an open letter to the President of the EBU, Jean Paul Philippot, calling this decision “discriminatory and a serious offense against our nation.”  He also added: The Eurovision song contest this year will be held in Stockholm, Sweden, the first EU member state in Western Europe to officially recognize the State of Palestine“.He also urges the EBU to revoke this decision and issue an official apology to the Palestinian people.

The entire “flag ban” controversy certainly looks like it’s dealing a major blow to the EBU’s efforts in promoting Eurovision as a non-political event. Do you think this controversy will harm the contest as it continues to build? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

Come now, brother fluffy. You can fool some of the people, and you may be even able to fool yourself- but sadly, you do not fool me. Your cause is dehumanizing in and of itself. It does not need my help. Your attempt at a sports analogy is tragic in and of itself, and further plays into the stereotype that those with victimization fetishes are unable to comprehend competition. Playing the man is how you give up fifteen yards and a fresh set of down. Playing the ball is how you intercept it and run it back for a touchdown.… Read more »

Bis
Bis
7 years ago

So much hatred on this thread… Go have a drink and be friends 😉

Oxana
Oxana
7 years ago

fluffy,
sociopaths are better suited for politics. all presidents, PMs and high ranking politicians in any country are sociopaths or even psychopaths. you see, my friend, being sociopath is not a flaw, it’s just a feature to protect own feelings from people who always tries to cut a spaghetti from it (someone like you). i can understand why you can be upset with sociopaths thou 🙂

fluffybiscuits
7 years ago

Unfortunately OR and Pollaski can choose to ignore the worlds causes and sit and wallow indifference. Apathy works well if you are earning big bucks and looking down your nose at the small man. I think its dangerous that you dismiss tendencies of humanitarianism as a mental illness, I think that speaks volumes of you two as sociopaths. Maybe you should consider a career in finance?

OR
OR
7 years ago

@Pollaski You are right … But its hard for me not to answer to this kind of comments but its good that u told me that…from now i will just ignore him.

Pollaski 2: Electric Boogaloo
Pollaski 2: Electric Boogaloo
7 years ago

@OR Youre once again not doing yourself any favors. You dont need to be getting into a link-off with Fluffy. One quick look at his twitter and you can see hes a victimization fetishist. These people basically attach themselves to every cause on the planet, and bask in the entitlement that comes with being a victim (without any of the suffering too… Although they still pretend to “feel” it). Its a mental illness… You cannot persuade them, the most you can do is pity them

fluffybiscuits
7 years ago

OR you do realise you need air to survive?

LOL Julian, well said 😉

OR
OR
7 years ago

@Julian. Its not funny…….

Julian
Julian
7 years ago

OR and fluffybiscuit
If you are not one same person you surely must be twins.

OR
OR
7 years ago

fluffybiscuitn. No you fase it you are nothing, you are big 0 for me, you are like air !!!!!!!! Pathetic

fluffybiscuits
7 years ago

And there is the crux, use confusion to label those who criticise Israel government policy as anti semetic…you lost mate . Face it mate you are just a pri<k

OR
OR
7 years ago

@fluffybiscuits
you are a first class idiot, go spreed your antisemitic lies somewhere else looser…..

fluffybiscuits
7 years ago
OR
OR
7 years ago

Brigitte Gabriel keynote speaker at United Nations – hebrew sub
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MwqVmoXPbc&list=PLuIMXRPPiK1b1MDTZvG8VJj86_NHjouc2

fluffybiscuits
7 years ago

Israeli sniper killing civilians

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h52z-mYLIk8

fluffybiscuits
7 years ago

5 Reasons Israel is an Apartheid state

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPX0F-UqF-k

Oxana
Oxana
7 years ago

@Daan, you can visit gay sauna or nourish your body in any way, but it does not make you a girl. Saying that it is OK to damage one’s skin because “you think” it is OK for you, it’s still words of a man who born with male skin and male body. Stop pretending that you can answer for a female. you can’t. you have hair on your face, have you forgot?

Oxana
Oxana
7 years ago

@Daan, I have no issues with my skin and never had any need for extensive care like you do 🙂 I’m 30+ and still use basic supporting care as girls in 20. maybe because I’m not using my cheeks to display flags or for other chemical tests to please the audience? are sexist or what?

fluffybiscuits
7 years ago

OR you daft fu<kin eejit

How is shooting kids defending itself? A few rocks compared to a hail of bullets?

OR
OR
7 years ago

@John Fow-tan
Agree with u 100%
couldn’t write it better.

David Who
David Who
7 years ago

About the opinion that perhaps the organisers have delibaretly created more political controversy in order to stir up more interest in the contest this year: I think there may have been an element of that in the plan to begin with, but it was gone too far for them now. I’d even go so far as to say it has gone a bit off the rails. Actually, the release of the banned flag list was, reportedly, an accidental leak. Furthermore, the controversy over Romania affects a number of other events, not just the ESC. I think this has been a… Read more »

Sal
Sal
7 years ago

am israel chai

Daan
Daan
7 years ago

Ah Oyxk darling. Of course there wouldn’t be a thread here without you trying to provoke me <3 You are such a bae. Honey, I take care of my skin, a lot. =] Oils, spa's, sunbooths, (gay) sauna's. (eh.. the facilities at least take care of my skin) If painting a flag on your cheeks is so harsh on your skin I can only conclude that you a) either aren;'t taking care of it properly or b) have a terrible skin problem. Just try it gal. Or perhaps, paint your entire face yellow and cyan.

Toinou
Toinou
7 years ago

Geeez, Palestina has nothing to do with this contest, just like many other countries, Korea, India, the US etc.. Why would you bring this flag to a totally unrelated event. People are so easy to offend these days…

Anton
Anton
7 years ago

All flags should be banned. Stop politics on ESC!

Julian
Julian
7 years ago

There are wiser ways to contain the display of unwanted flags. To ban them should be totally unacceptable in a society that claims to be free and tolerant. Of course symbols of ISIS, Nazi Germany and other like these should be confiscated at venue. But all others partially recognized states, regions, religious symbols, social campaigns, I cannot see how they are not allowed.
Banning politics is making politics!

OR
OR
7 years ago

@Pollaski
Dont call me “kiddo” please….:)
And thanks for your advice .. coming from you, i might take it 🙂
I’m glad to hear that u agree with me about almost everything 🙂
Have a good day… and write good things about my love- Hovi star

Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

@Anton

Don’t you have some orphans to experiment on or something? Shoo.

Maya G
Maya G
7 years ago

@OR – I second Pollaski – a deep long breath would do you good.
Cheerio

OR
OR
7 years ago

@Maya G
And one more thing -about my so cold “rhetorical skills” i receive 100 from my lecturer At My law studies… so i really do not need a grade from u!!!!!

OR
OR
7 years ago

@Maya G
“My poor rhetorical skills “??
HHHHH please did you read your poor and not inelegant comment??
Any way – i’m not going to fight here with you.. not going to give”more Brad” to some people…
So good luck and try to be less arrogant it might do u well. ……………

WiwiDoubleStandard
WiwiDoubleStandard
7 years ago

Wiwibloggs why you allow the OR’s comments which is contain hate speech towards one group yeah we have a freedom of speech but it doesn’t mean we can say everything what we want to say.

This is a song contest and comments below me was so out of topic, this is disgusting

OR
OR
7 years ago

@Adam i will write u tomorrow my answer…im going to sleep , good night!

MTD
MTD
7 years ago

@Adam – and don’t forget copying songs with which they win (hello Sweden) while going crazy when other songs have (namely) copy-pasted a Swedish song (hello Croatia 2016).

It’s funny how the West (or more specifically, the Nordics) work – shout at loudest “corruption” and “neighbors voting” to the East while openly doing the same between them.

I mean, c’mon, we’re not that stupid!

nn
nn
7 years ago

Only allow flags of participants or full EBU members.
I don t thinks to react so impulsive for this EBU rules of flag poolicy about banned flags. It is very strange to go to Eurovision with flags of your country who are not participate in Eurovision song contest. Do you go to football mach Germany Brazil at Word Cup with flags of Chine, Australia, Bulgaria…

OR
OR
7 years ago

@Pollaski
And by the way , this is also a political blog if wiwi choose to publish an article like that… wiwi know what they doing.. they want us to comment about more then songs in the eurovision… other ways they wouldn’t published that article
and eurovision is also political …. so lets not be naive!!!

OR
OR
7 years ago

@Pollaski
you comment about free speech here………… …
Any way i cannot be silence to antisemitic comments sorry….
my grandmother is a holocaust surviver and i will not stop argue with people who antisemitic or people that anti israel

Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

@OR

Tell David Who what, exactly? He seems like one of the more reasonable people around here, if I’m honest. I get where he’s coming from about wanting to tone down personal attacks, even if I don’t necessarily agree with it.

Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

Seriously though- the EBU has just been fantastic at pissing everyone off this year.

New Voting Rules
New Flag Rules
Australia’s back
Romania’s kicked out
American’s blocked from YouTube stream

Now all they need to do is unfurl a massive “CANADA SUCKS” banner during the event and they have everyone.

oxyk
oxyk
7 years ago

Daan
“let people paint the flags on their cheeks”??? what is it? it can tell only a male who does not care about his skin. why would female put toxic paint on her skin if she knows how it’s expensive to keep her skin young and beautiful? speak for yourself. girls don’t have to be forced to wear ugly tees or to damage their skin with chemicals even if they have to support their artists. small flags on short sticks would be ok to avoid visibility issues and to keep everyone happy.

MTD
MTD
7 years ago

Dear EBU & SVT, I hope that this would be the last event where you two collaborated for the time being.

Also, I would like to see a drastic change how EBU manages Eurovision – namely, getting rid of the whole Reference Group and Jon Ola Sand.

And at last, let just not let Sweden win in the next 10-20 years. Thanks.

OR
OR
7 years ago

@Pollaski
Tell that to @David Who…………

OR
OR
7 years ago

@David Who
yes personal antisemitic comments attacks..
and we are in 2016 we have a free speech…. what do u want every one to comment here all the time? how lovely and smart everyone ??
if i cant say my opinion i will not be here
and any way i will leave this blog soon because i cant stand antisemitic / homophobic people…

David Who
David Who
7 years ago

Sadly, personal attacks and harrassment have been noticed in many Wiwibloggs comments threads now. There are at least four examples in this thread alone, from two users. You know who you are. Enough is enough. You both know that Eurovision is supposed to be about being NICE to one another, so please either be nice or leave this blog in peace.

Pollaski
Pollaski
7 years ago

How about no one gets banned and we all enjoy a little bit of freedom of speech?