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The Last Word With Matt Cooper

Should Ireland Boycott The Eurovision In Israel?

Veteran broadcaster Mike Murphy has spoken out about why he feels Ireland should boycott next year's...
TodayFM
TodayFM

6:22 PM - 15 Oct 2018



The Last Word With Matt Cooper

Should Ireland Boycott The Eurovision In Israel?

TodayFM
TodayFM

6:22 PM - 15 Oct 2018

Listen to this episode



Veteran broadcaster Mike Murphy has spoken out about why he feels Ireland should boycott next year's Eurovision in Israel.

Mike has himself commentated on many past Eurovision Song Contests, including one in Jerusalem, and always enjoyed the experience.

However, he doesn't think it would be right for Ireland to be involved in the next one, "because at this point in time the state of Israel is transgressing in too many things of a moral point of view and a legal point of view."

"I had been reading and hearing about injustices happening in Palestine and decided I'd like to go and have a look at it myself."

During his visit last year, Mike went around occupied territories with a group of other Irish people and was appalled by what he saw. He describes it as "a policy or system of segregation on grounds of race."

"There's a very thin line between discrimination and apartheid."

Mike believes the Israeli authorities will use the Eurovision as an opportunity to propagandise their country. He says that if he were asked to attend, he would object on conscientious grounds, and thinks that anyone who does go "is tacitly and possibly unknowingly supporting an apartheid regime."

Fine Gael TD Alan Shatter accused Mike of anti-Semitism after he expressed his views on RTE television last week, but Mike denies that criticism of Israel is the same as anti-Semitism: "This is an old cliché. I will criticise the Catholic Church, but I'm not anti-Catholic."

He also acknowledges that a lot of Israeli people are embarrassed by the situation.

"I don't know the politics or the legal situation too well, but what I do know is that I went, I saw it and I made my own conclusions."

To find out more about the Irish campaign for a boycott of Eurovision 2019, visit ipsc.ie.

To catch the full chat press the play button on the image on the top of the screen


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