'SBS: Don’t screen Eurovision 2019 in Israel’

November 15, 2018
Issue 
A Palestine solidarity protest outside SBS. Photo: SBS news

Protesters gathered outside the SBS offices in Artarmon on November 15 to urge the national multicultural broadcaster not to screen Eurovision 2019, which will be held in Israel.

They handed out leaflets to SBS staff that read: “We love SBS and we love Eurovision, but is a song contest worth more than human rights? Are advertising dollars worth more than international law?

“We can’t celebrate Eurovision in Israel while the Israeli government enforces apartheid and ongoing human rights abuses against Palestinians.

“Just like the campaign that ended apartheid in South Africa, your international solidarity is vital.

“In every Eurovision participant country, campaigners are working in solidarity with the struggle of Palestinians for their human rights and the upholding of international law.

“In Australia that means asking SBS directors to make a positive human rights decision by refraining from organising an Australian contestant and by not broadcasting Eurovision 2019 from Israel if it goes ahead there.

“It is an insufficient response to say that ‘the whole point of Eurovision is to forget politics,’ as [former SBS CEO] Michael Ebeid did to a Senate Estimates question in May this year.

“Are SBS directors to forget human rights? Is SBS to forget international law?”

[For more information visit bdsaustralia.good.do.]

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