Protesters’ petition to RTÉ over Israel Eurovision

A PROTEST was held yesterday outside RTÉ studios over Ireland’s entry into the Eurovision contest in Israel in May – as it emerged Sarah McTernan will represent us at the event.

Approximately 50 people, many carrying Palestinian flags, protested outside the broadcaster’s Donnybrook campus in Dublin against Israel hosting this year’s Eurovision, saying the state’s alleged human rights abuses make participating in the competition ‘unconscionable’.

Campaign spokeswoman Zoe Lawlor said: ‘Israel has an appalling human rights record, has repeatedly been accused of war crimes by the United Nations and human rights organisations, and routinely uses cultural events to whitewash its crimes against the Palestinian people.’

Ms Lawlor called on the newly unveiled Irish contestant in this year’s contest, Sarah McTernan, not to participate, and the protesters handed in a petition of more than 16,500 signatures to the studios, calling on RTÉ not to take part.

In a statement issued by RTÉ, the broadcaster re-iterated that the winner and the host country is determined by the Eurovision Song Contest, not RTÉ.

It said; ‘RTÉ is a registered participant in the 2019 ESC, which promotes values of diversity and inclusion and is broadcast to around 200million viewers worldwide. As a long-running, non-political, entertainment event, the ESC is designed to bring audiences and countries together.

‘RTÉ is confident that the EBU [European Broadcasting Union] and the host broadcaster will take all necessary steps to safeguard the non-political character of the event throughout the organisation of the competition.’