Former Eurovision winner joins calls for Ireland to boycott Israel in 2019

Irish TV host Mike Murphy and former Eurovision winner Charlie McGettigan have “called for Ireland to boycott next year’s song contest in Israel”, reported the Irish Mirror.

I think this is an opportunity now where boycott comes right into it, and this is where we need to stand up and be counted and say, ‘We’re not competing’

said Murphy.

McGettigan said Ireland should boycott the event if it is not held in another country or cancelled.

He told Joe Duffy on RTE Radio One: “It was dreadful seeing [Israel Prime Minister] Netanyahu and the Trumps celebrating while people are dead”.

“It’s a chance for the whole of Europe who are involved in Eurovision to say, ‘Look, we don’t agree with this’,” he added.

Read: Eurovision has shown us BDS reaches Israeli psyche

Meanwhile, Dublin Lord Mayor Micheal Mac Donncha has also “said he feels entering next year’s competition in May would not be appropriate”, adding that “Ireland should show solidarity with the Palestinian people by refusing to enter”, said the Irish Mirror.

I think the horrific ordeal of the Palestinian people needs to be highlighted. There needs to be solidarity just as there was with the people of South Africa with the apartheid regime.

“The Irish-Palestine solidarity campaign has collected the names of 500 artists who have said they would not work in the state of Israel.”