In a competitive year with a number of fan favourites, Israel’s Netta Barzilai outdid everyone. The “Toy” singer won over European televoters and took the trophy in a storm of Mizrahi sounds, chicken clucks and bold colour. Now, as Israeli fans celebrate the momentous win, attention turns to Israel hosting Eurovision 2019 and the growing controversy surrounding that.
Iceland has emerged as a hotspot of dissent. Some of the country’s Eurovision artists — from both the national finals and the actual ESC — have called on national broadcaster RÚV to boycott the 2019 contest over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Among them is Daði Freyr, who came second to Svala in the national final in 2017 and who has emerged with his band Gagnamagnið as one of the country’s most beloved acts. Fans want him and the band to re-enter Söngvakeppni…but it’s clear that 2019 won’t be the year for him. He is very strong minded when it comes to matters of Israel vs. Palestine.
He tweeted: “Gagnamagnið was considering a come-back in Söngvakeppni 2019. However, we can not with good conscience be a part of the joy that is Eurovision, whilst the government of Israel and its army is brutally violating the rights of the people of Palestine around the corner. We urge RÚV to not take part in 2019″.
Gagnamagnið íhugaði þátttöku í Söngvakeppninni 2019.
Við getum ekki ímyndað okkur að taka þátt í Eurovisiongleðinni með góðri samvisku á meðan Ísraelsríki og þeirra her beitir Palestínumönnum hrottalegu ofbeldi í næsta nágrenni.
Við hvetjum RÚV til að taka ekki þátt.
??
— Daði Freyr (@dadimakesmusic) May 15, 2018
Daði is not the only one calling for a boycott. Paul Oscar — perhaps Iceland’s most beloved Eurovision star ever — expressed his opinion on the matter in a recent Facebook post.
“As much as I love Eurovision, I don’t think it should be too hard to sit one out and boycott a contest hosted by a nation that is repeatedly breaking international laws, violating basic human rights and committing bloody war crimes every single day. And has been doing so for the past 70 years. In this modern day and age, the news about Israel are definitely reaching people who upon till now may have been completely clueless about just how serious things are at Gaza. I used to be one of those clueless people. I had very little knowledge about what exactly was happening when Iceland last competed in Jerusalem in 1999.
Israels imagery campaign is biting them in the a** now. We know better! A friend of mine said: “I feel sorry for the people of Israel, who went through millenniums of segregation and the Holocaust, without regaining any knowledge about what peace truly is about. Instead they have now become the exact replica of their enemies”. This is the perfect opportunity to protest, to object against the massacre on the people of Palestine and draw the line for Israel. Dear RÚV. Grab this opportunity and use our absence to protest. We shouldn’t engage in this joyous party of denial! Entertainment, pop songs and glamorous outfits CAN be a political matter. To try and separate politics from entertainment and sports is just a lame excuse to ignore the matter in hand. Murdering innocent children is beyond everything political. It’s inhumane!
Let’s boycott Eurovision 2019. To sit out on one contest is nothing compared to Israel’s massacre in Palestine. Who in their right minds wants to perform in Jerusalem, when there is a bloodbath right around the corner? I sure don’t!”
And the Icelandic public seems to agree with Daði and Paul. A petition was launched on Monday urging RÚV to boycott the contest. At the time of writing this post on Wednesday morning, more than 16,000 Icelanders had already signed it.
On the evening news on Tuesday, Skarphéðinn Guðmundsson, the TV program director of RÚV, said that Iceland has not yet confirmed its participation in 2019, and said that they had until the fall to do so. He also said that the broadcaster would have the Israel/Palestine situation in mind when assessing whether or not Iceland will confirm. This suggests that RÚV is really thinking things over regarding the whole matter. Speaking to MBL, however, it seems Iceland is leaning toward participation. Guðmundsson said: “We expect to take part next year as every year”.
Israel’s Eurovision win comes at a time of mounting tension, which coincides with the official opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. On Monday Gaza saw unprecedented levels of violence that left 58 Palestinians dead and thousands more injured. As The Jerusalem Post reports, it was the highest death toll from Israeli fire since 2014.
Other European nations might also be thinking carefully about their next step. Dublin’s Lord Mayor has already called for Ireland to boycott for the contest.
What TV channel? It matters. But this is what happened.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xccyFSoa1lA
When will we finally start learning from history?
This discussion makes me sad.
Vomitivo, cinico! Fascista! Tu si eres terrorista como tu gobierno
This video is a ficticion! Its a shame
Maybe when the UK returns Gibraltar to Spain?
Wow! I am stunned… The comment section here is absolutely DISGUSTING! Reading most of the comments make me sick. People, go and enjoy spring while it lasts and stop vomiting garbage on eachother! Wars will continue and people will keep on killing eachother anyway. They don’t need your fighting to encourage them!
Well, you obviously have no idea what you’re talking about so…
Dont get your hopes too high and dont hold your breath. We have more than a year to the next esc. Everyone would take part, including iceland and ireland as they did in the past.
Long live Israel!
For the record: 7 points from the Icelandic televote, 8 points from the Icelandic jury.
you still don’t know who committed the gas attacks? but you knew very quickly that Israel killed 62 civilians??
what a miserable person you are!
jimmy, you can’t be an ordinary person! supporting terrorists! supporting the evil!
Yes I also saw that online, very confusing
Hi, Lemos. Did you watch this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xccyFSoa1lA
Gosh!! the comments here are a disgrace.
ohhh Befan relax and eat a Belgian waffle! Your not you when your hungry!
Nah just after watching “Micheal Collins” great movie , well worth a watch!
I am from Mars (hey, if BEFAN can pretend he’s Belgian, I can say whatever I want!).
Why don’t we stop talking about the Icelandic boycott (no one really cares too much about that) and start talking about boycotting annoying trolls like Llila and BEFAN?
PREACH IT EFI
Efi we missed you lol
Whats up dude?
Did you send Eleni our love?
Can’t you even distinguish that I am not THAT Efi? I can write a decent English… Switch off your computer or lay down your mobile phone cause it looks like there’s not enough oxygen reaching your brain (or whatever stuff is inside your head)
Big words from Llila there!!!!!!!
I like you Bella you have a great grasp of the English language , you give insightful opinions and you spread truthful news.
Why wouldn’t she be depressed , the better song lost!
If that’s supposed to be Flemish, you aint fooling me. Google translate much?
good one befan ………
BEFAN, Ik zou graag dat bier aanemen als je kon stoppen met die fanatieke pro-israëlische propaganda. Ik ben zeker geen Palestijnse voorstander, maar ik hoef zeker niet te horen dat er alleen maar schatjes in Israël rondlopen…
Once that was said, I am not Efi nor Bella (don’t even know who that Bella-person is)
Oh, and if you need more proofs I am not Efi… Eleni’s song wouldn’t have been a worthy winner at all. I was supporting Bulgaria, Austria and Estonia
You just showed clearly that you are not Belgian, BEFAN. Unfortunately, Google translate is far from perfect and what you just wrote is a grammatical nonsense. You can take off your mask now, buddy!
The heavens? How were you claiming Netta is trending in India when now you’re suddenly Belgian! This absurdity has gone on too long from a bunch of people who keep posting same thing over and over.
Well said Bella! She ain’t got no life! Spending here whole day spreading hate!
I feel sorry for her.
Xxx
“Why have you been coming home so late in the evening?
Is there someone else that I should know about?”
Lilila—— Nah mate just on wiwibloggs spreading hate all day!
Great news Bella , at least more countries are now seeing the facts.
Calling for a boycott is hypocritical enough but seeing that Statement is even worse – how does a public figure manage to get so many of the most disgusting “not-antisemite Israel critic” tropes in one post while seemingly getting so much support instead of backlash?! Started of really bad with the “comitting war crimes every day” nonsense, then gets REALLY disgusting with the “Jews are the ones who should’ve learned from the Holocaust” and “Jewish child murderers killing innocent children!” stuff… Wow, just wow…
I think this is ridiculous that people are calling for a boycott over Israel (and most specifically Jerusalem), considering that everyone was more than ok with Baku 2012…
SO now that all news show that the people killed at the Israeli boarder were terrorists, can we say Iceland support terrorism?
Just asking
Hahahahahaha according to the Israeli delegation they must be now added to the “axis of evil”.
USA and Israel will invade in 24 hours for they hot spring waters 😉
Hahahahahahaha no need we have allies in the European Union something Israel will never have. Plus half of the USA government and senate has
Irish – American heritage so its all good. But thanks for the Concern.
Glad to see you enjoy our produce , though that drink you so speak of is not consumed in Ireland. I enjoy a nice Jameson! Ya know gotta standards babes.
xoxoxoxo
no!! I celand and all other countries suffer from naivity!!
you should all apologixe! it’s not the first time you are spreading lies against us…
look at them…. do they look so innocent to you??
Instead of showing non factual content why don’t you show the truth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbMWQoypif4
Watch full video. They couldn’t deal with a man with no weapons. It’s kinda funny how little training they have in this kinda suff!
SAD!
Clearly don’t you idiot.
But don’t give us fake news.
You never mentioned IDF Military brutality as seen in my factual video.
SAD!
Lol and lol and lol
*case
A very incoherent structured response.
I would have expected better from a Belgian. 🙁
racist Jimmy!!!!
we know english better than any other forign language you study there… we all know that you are so ignorants there…i know what a racist is! you expected a belgian to speak english better than an israeli…. this is also categorised as racism…
by the way, do you learn arabic?
What has that got to do with anything????
We had just won our Independence!!!!!
what are you trying to say were all nazi’s??????
Hugh O’Flaherty an Irish Catholic priest and senior official of the Roman Curia, and significant figure in Catholic resistance to Nazism. During World War II was responsible for saving 6,500 Allied soldiers and Jews.
so ………… don’t hit me or Ireland up with your nazi excuse!
So you’re Irish, now it all makes sense…I bet you accused Britain to be cruel and murdering country…
Go support the IRA, idiot.
Befan lower your voice honey or should I say LiLIA.
If smacking someone over the head with a gun is restraint!
– I only fear for what we don’t see.
What has that got to do with anything????
We had just won our Independence!!!!!
what are you trying to say were all nazi’s??????
Hugh O’Flaherty an Irish Catholic priest and senior official of the Roman Curia, and significant figure in Catholic resistance to Nazism. During World War II was responsible for saving 6,500 Allied soldiers and Jews.
so ………… don’t hit me or Ireland up with your nazi excuse!
Clearly no response from Charles II as his point has no relevance.
do they know that we bring wounded syrians to our hospitals??
or let abu mazen be treated in our hospitals?
After 4 years of non-qualification, Iceland should definitely withdraw so they can re-think their Eurovision strategy, and come back stronger (like Portugal, Czech, etc). If they’re going to send another dreary ballad, might as well keep it to themselves. So by all means, withdraw
They were using tear gas. And they’re in the middle of a f*cking desert. You think they have the water to repel thousands of people?
If you show up at myhouse, and say “I’m going to set your yard on fire”, and then actually try to, I would shoot you too.
They’re also next to a freaking body of water !! Yes they do have water in Israel!!
The Actual hate for Iceland or Ireland to even consider not going to the ESC Israel 2019 is astounding. It actually shows how desperate they are to have good media attention for ESC 2019.
Well done wiwibloggs for showing use valuable information.
STUPID 22.000 Iceland people that forgot to boycott Russia during Crimea occupation and Georgian war. Fortunately I’m not one of them.
RÚV now considers seriously to withdraw from Eurovision 2019 after the petition got around 22,000 signatures. It will be sad that they miss out Eurovision just because of a political issue but I guess that’s only on them to change that. I highly doubt anyone will consider to join Iceland in this boycott, so good luck to them.
Still, you are looking way and way hypocritical as time progresses, Iceland. Remember when you send Selma to participate in Jerusalem 1999 and she got you your best result ever in the contest? Yeah… what happened there?
Don’t be such an ignorant for God’s Sake. ._.
Nothing new with this one she’ll always be the same
Iceland is scheduled to participate in Russia very soon to the Football World Cup. They are probably also thinking very hard not to participate.
No, actually. In fact, they are very thrilled to participate in their first World Cup. Just look at the Icelandic spokesperson this year: “Team Iceland is ready for the World Cup”.
Yeah, they don’t care it’s Russia, who has commited much more atrocities and violations of international law than Israel. I’m not angry at them because everyone wants to see their home team play in the biggest sports event in the planet but this sudden boycott for Eurovision seems hypocritical to say the least.
The hypocrisy. They should withdraw from Russia too!
I’m portuguese but i accept the Israeli victory, even I didn’t like the song. They deserved it
Let them boycot – with the crappy songs they send, they won’t be missed!
I guess the only way for someone to hear about them, since it is not their expertise in song producing, is for them to start such a non sense.
I am sure Iceland wouldn’t care about Russia occupying Crimea, Armenia occupying Karabakh, Turkey occupying Cyprus etc etc.. What a hypocrisy srsly..
But… but… it was 62-0!
Lopsided death tolls always mean it was a one-sided massacre of injustice!
Son, there has to be something seriously wrong with you to not realize that was sarcasm.
Old.
How f*cking sick is that?
“I’m going to bring MY BABY” into a war zone. Hopefully she’ll get killed so I can use her for propaganda purposes!”
People who think like that are quickly approaching the threshold where you can’t even be sure if they’re human.
Apparently the international law!!
Isn’t removal of the wall between west bank and Israel one of the things UN has mandated?
I personally call on all nations to join the United States in its boycott of the World Cup.
Not even one of her good songs.
A classic though…… You have to admit – its for the real fans!
To be fair, it really ain’t worth the price to do much more than that.
After Iraq, the USA isn’t very keen on trying to liberate a country of people who aren’t very keen on being liberated.
Its ofcourse tell the place of Israel in the world
Uh yeah. It is.
I already told u…
boycot and dont come..its fine with us..
I love BEFAN comments so i once asked him where he is from.
But its a good idea ..i would love to be his friend.
Whats odd about that???
Charles ll
Agree with you !
Terror is a Terror is a Terror..
No metter if it happend in the center of Tel Aviv or in the Center of london or paris..its the same !
Thanks for your smart comment.
..
I believe its not to the same extent (the damage being done etc)
Plus let Iceland be happy about their football success! a small nation like that has never qualified to the World Cup (biggest event in the world) so them being proud is just about justified
im not the same Bella as y’all are fighting with lol calm down. I’m happy for israel
how many countries are expected to boycott israel now? seems like this political nonsense never will stop
BTW im not the same Bella from Sweden y’all seem to fight with in this comment section lol
Dear Israeli fans! In particular LILIA and BEFAN. Don’t pay attention to Bella and Denis and possibly CocoUK because it’s the same Swedish “person” whose only interest in Eurovision is to trash any nation that is not Sweden or its direct neighbours. He or she goes also by the name of Davve, Sara, Yankee, Hate Portugal, Anti-Jo. His/hers, who pleaded for the extermination of all Portuguese and whose sole purpose in life until next year will be to instigate hate against Israeli’s organisation of the ESC. Also he/she is a nordic supremacist, so don’t be surprised if will read anti-Semitic… Read more »
Another example how this “person” operates. Making up fake beliefs and tastes.
BELLA but you are just stupid with good english so?????
By the way his English is better than yours.
THIS is all you have to reponse?? Insulting pepole for their English??
Such a low level troll you are!
Another good example of bullying of this guy, but pretty harmless as compared to others, like in other comments below. BTW what exactly was wrong in my previous sentence?
Again lie!!!
Please william – if you read this check my IP and tell everyone how many are there?
I know how it is to be bullied by this guy. So all my solidarity to you. Have a great contest in Israel!
Thanks and you are welcome 🙂
Im only myself. We are all different people.
But nice to see that English comprehensation isn’t very good in Israel. How you somehow got that we pleade for Potrtuguese extermination is beyond me. I would laugh if i wasn’t so concerned for lack of education
Again, a recurrent argument of this person. (Bella used it also). At least that is nicer than using blasphemy and wishing people were dead. BTW your English doesn’t seem perfect, as well, Denis/Davve/Sara/Bella/Anti-Jo/Hate Portugal. And yes, many times you used hate speech against Portugal. Now I see it will be against any country that wins Eurovision and that is not Sweden and possibly Denmark, Norway or Finland.
No, I don’t create fake aliases unlike some. I write under my real name. And I have never written anything agianst any country or a person. Though your personality makes it tempting to do so cause you sure deserve it
Now instead of hiding under several alias how about using your real name?
I am just doing what you have been done during all this time. You don’t like it, right?…
Ooo, i heard a really good joke the other day! I don’t remeber all of it, but the punch line goes something like this – ‘Eurovision Song Contest is not about politics and is about bringing people of all countries together’ :p
Good one 😀
If there ever was a need for moderating or even disabling comments then this comment section would be a good example. It is way past derailed and over the cliff. No one makes sense, especially the pitbulls called Lilia and BeFan or whatever nick they have right now
Someone moderate and show you have some sense!
This coming from you is rich… C’mon. You are one of the main trolls in this blog, with all the nicknames that you invent.
Why do they want to destroy Israel?That makes no sense unless they have some nazi ideology
Coming from and Icelander To see the Icelandic nation calling for a boycott is odd, as others have mentioned, if we’re so against Israel hosting, why did we let them participate in the first place? This is the 4th time Israel wins and the 3rd time they’ll host, so why are we so paranoid all of a sudden, we had a contest in Azerbaijan and Ukraine not long ago, the World Cup is in Russia, but Israel is too much? I like that Iceland might withdraw though, we’ve really gone downhill and if we ever wanna go back to yearly… Read more »
In any case, can you assure us that in the case of a Jerusalem hosting, there won’t be fights and dead people again during the days of the contest? Beyond the security matters, what’s the symbolism of a party taking place where people are shot in their heads?
It should be Tel Aviv, otherwise EBU should look for another host.
Just hold the contest in Tel Aviv
Who brings children to a FREAKIN’ WAR ZONE?!
As an Israeli, those infantile comments do not represent nor me or my country. Thankfully, we’re not all like that (and of course, we’re very lucky to have Netta).
On what platform in India was Netta trending? I wanted to know
That’s a news article.
I live in India , lol.
Netta/Toy has not been trending here at all.
That’s why I asked on what platform is she trending?
It’s not on YouTube . Not on iTunes and India doesn’t have spotify. We don’t have specific charts for non-hindi songs either.
Can’t categorically say about wynk since I don’t use it but Toy was never in the top trends on Saavn
But I’d really love to see an ESC song make it big in India. But we don’t even listen to British music let alone ESC music.
NO ONE CARES IF YOU WITHDRAW
Exactly, this sudden desire for “justice” seems so pretentious and hypocritical when they have already participated in ESC alongside Israel.