As an audience member in Tel Aviv I saw the flags of many nations on display, why not those of Israel’s neighbours? There were loud boos in the Tel Aviv Expo Centre on Saturday night, and not just when it was announced that voters in Greece and Cyprus had once again awarded each other the full 12 Eurovision song contest points in their annual display of allegiance. When Hatari – the Icelandic entrants – waved Palestinian scarves solemnly to the cameras as their results rolled in, my fellow audience members in the Israeli city made their dissatisfaction clear. It was the first time those assembled in the room were confronted with the controversy that had surrounded Israel hosting the event, and many just didn’t like it. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the contest, sent out the statement: “This directly contradicts the rules … the consequences of this action will be discussed.” Continue reading...
 |
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.theguardian.com |
