Eurovision: Normalising Ethnic Cleansing Since 1973
Israel’s Eurovision entry Eden Alene has made it the Eurovision finals, which is set to take place in Rotterdam on Saturday.
Two days after Netta Barzilai’s win in 2018 Israel massacred 62 Palestinians in Gaza , including six children. In 2019, while Europe’s best songs battled it out on a glitzy stage in Tel Aviv, Israel arrested 12 children in the West Bank . Since its first appearance in 1973, Israel has made a tradition of using Eurovision to improve their image and distract attention from its war crimes against Palestinians. Don’t let them.
Tell Eurovision’s board to stop normalizing colonialism, ethnic cleansing, and Apartheid.
Normalizing ethnic cleansing & apartheid
Israel continues its campaign of whitewashing its crimes against humanity in 2021 with Eden Alene’s Eurovision entry. The song is purportedly about a bad breakup, but the phrase “set me free”, which is repeated no less than eight times, furthers Israel’s narrative as a victim of hostile neighbors. The reality, of course, is that Israel is a colonial occupying power whose ultimate goal is the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians .
Eden Alene is a talented young lady – she swoons “Feeling like in prison / Looking for the reason / I don’t wanna say goodbye / Feels like no tomorrow / Everywhere that I go” so melodically you’d be forgiven for dismissing Israel’s Eurovision entry as harmless, campy fun.
Until you pay attention to the lyrics.
Whether or not the songwriter intended it, the song alludes to the prison-like conditions Palestinians experience under Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza, where it “feels like no tomorrow” under the constant attack from one of the world’s most powerful militaries.
Don’t let the melody distract you from Israel’s war crimes.
Why you should boycott Eurovision
Just as South African anti-apartheid activists called on international artists to culturally boycott South Africa, we’re asking you not to watch Eurovision while Israel is allowed to take part.
Please tweet your support at 9:30pm on Saturday, 22 May, during Eurovision:
Say no to normalizing Apartheid and the ethnic-cleansing of Palestine.
Pictures of the protest at the semifinals in Rotterdam wednesday, may 19 2021
