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When Israel won the Eurovision in 2018, Palestinian artists and human rights campaigners immediately called for singers, songwriters, cultural workers and broadcasters to boycott the 2019 competition which would be used as whitewashing (or ‘artwashing’) propaganda for the Israeli occupation of Palestine. In Ireland a huge campaign was launched with the support of over 60 celebrities and other public figures, including Mike Murphy, Mary Black, Robert Ballagh, Christy Moore, Mary Coughlan and Carrie Crowley. The campaign also saw prominent LGBTQ+ campaigners, trade unions and veterans of the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement call for a boycott. Ultimately, the Irish entry took part – though the campaign itself was hugely popular, widespread and helped popularise and mainstream the idea of a cultural boycott of Israel, and the support from the LGBTQ+ community helped to cut across Israel’s strategy of ‘pinkwashing’.

Source: IPSC

Year: 2019

Courtesy of Kevin Squires