Is it time to drop Eurovision?

Remote from us, therefore of no interest or concern?. You're probably right, which actually proves the hypocrisy of our concern. Far away suffering children, kidnapped school girls, homes set on fire, horrors we'd rather not think about. Who cares about them. But when it's Israel! The whole world is up in arms. How's that I wonder?! Two tier concern is alive and well that's for sure.

It’s human nature to concern ourselves with the things that are nearest to us I think. The world has a horror overload, and the further away we are, the less knowledge or influence we have, maybe to protect our own sanity.

I don’t share your view at all that we invest more thought into Israel because we are anti semitic. It is because Jews are part of us, not remote, Israel was created because we care, and we want it to thrive, not to become part of the Middle East war zone. I probably haven’t been very articulate, but that’s what I feel.

Maremia

Here we go again with the conflation.
Being against a genocidal regime, is not being antisemitic.
It is being against a genocidal regime.

I agree. I am anti Hamas but not anti Palestinian.

On a different level, I am anti Putin but not anti Russian. Anti Trump but not anti American.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Most people are ignorant of Israel/Palestine.

They are also unsure what the word genocide means. I'm sure you're aware that 20% of the population of Israel are Arabs . That Israel has many mosques. Their signage is in Arabic as well as Hebrew.

2 million people in Gaza. The vast majority are still alive. Just last week, in Sudan, in one week, more people have been killed than in the 2 years since October 7th. A true genocide.

In Nigeria, Christians are being brutally murdered. A true genocide.

The west seems to have turned against the one democracy in the middle east that is an ally. It baffles me. Take a look at atrocities that have been carried out against Israelis/Jews over the years.

Palestinian primary school children are taught to hate Jews from a very early age. That is their belief. Annihilation of Israel and Jews. Their charter says this

However, I do believe that the silent majority are not running around with Palestinian flags and keffiahs. Chanting death threats to Jews. Most are appalled.
We can't understand how these hateful marches have been allowed to take place, week after week. People blithely say they're not anti Semite. But your words and actions are and you spur on those who are.

History will look back and wonder what on earth we were doing.

REKA I have actually lived in Israel. I am not ignorant. It's totally tragic how extremists have taken control there and around many other places in the world. Take a look at Google maps and see the satellite pictures of the Gaza destruction and ask yourself how would you live in that environment. You have chosen the wrong person to press on this issue.

There was no chanting of death threats to Jews on the massive 4 hour march I went on in central London this summer. It was noisy in some parts, but always good natured and people of all ages and all nationalities attended,
The March was entirely peaceful and included many Jews, easily identified by what they had written on their posters. There were few police present, those there were relaxed, chatting amongst themselves, while the marchers just walked past. At the end everyone dispersed quietly to return home.

Talking about everyone chanting death threats on marches as if it’s fact is not true and could cause unnecessary distress.

Thank you Silverlining for giving true facts.

So how about this. Having been accused of somehow encouraging Bondi.

Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old Sydney fruit shop owner, stopped one of the Bondi Beach shooters by tackling him from behind, wrestling away his shotgun, and aiming it back at him during the Hanukkah event attack on December 14, 2025.[1][2][3][4]

## Details of the Heroic Act
Video footage captured al Ahmed hiding behind a parked car near the gunman (identified by some sources as Naveed Akram), then charging to disarm him amid ongoing gunfire from a second shooter on a bridge.[5][4][6][1]
Al Ahmed forced the attacker to the ground, held him at gunpoint until he retreated, then signaled peace to police by raising one hand before setting the weapon down.[1][5]
He was shot twice in the struggle but underwent surgery and is hailed as a "genuine hero" by authorities and witnesses.[7][3][4][8]

## Attack Context
The shooting killed at least 11 people and injured dozens at a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach, treated as terrorism targeting the community; police neutralized the second gunman.[9][10][11][4]

[1](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce3wkey5p33o)
[2](https://news.sky.com/story/hero-who-tackled-and-disarmed-bondi-beach-gunman-is-sydney-fruit-shop-owner-13483314)
[3](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/14/hero-bystander-tackles-attacker-at-australia-jewish-festival-shooting)
[4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Bondi_Beach_shooting)
[5](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-14/bondi-shooter-tackled-and-disarmed-by-possible-civilian/106141690)
[6](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-14/law-enforcement-source-identifies-bondi-gunman-as-naveed-akram/106141750)
[7](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3r711lnr8zo)
[8](https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/14/world/video/australia-shooting-cousin-bystander-bondi-beach-latam-intl)
[9](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/12/14/bondi-beach-shooting-live-two-in-custody-sydney-police-operation-ongoing)
[10](https://www.nbcnews.com/world/australia/live-blog/bondi-beach-australia-live-updates-rcna249083)
[11](https://www.bbc.com/news/live/ckgk391yzm7t)
[12](https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cgl68d8yjwzo)
[13](https://www.instagram.com/p/DSPvsWJAmyp/)

Yes, we have all seen his very brave actions so what are you saying?

I think it could be the wrong thread.

I already posted this on the Bondi shooting thread.

He was Muslim by his name, but was obvs proud of his country and seeing his chance to disarm a gunman he took it.
Unlike the Islamist extremists who are swines.

Was interested in numbers and arrests on the march i was on in the summer in central London.
More than 350,000 very 🥵 in heat of 30 degrees with 8 arrests.
As I said, a peaceful march.

silverlining48

There was no chanting of death threats to Jews on the massive 4 hour march I went on in central London this summer. It was noisy in some parts, but always good natured and people of all ages and all nationalities attended,
The March was entirely peaceful and included many Jews, easily identified by what they had written on their posters. There were few police present, those there were relaxed, chatting amongst themselves, while the marchers just walked past. At the end everyone dispersed quietly to return home.

Talking about everyone chanting death threats on marches as if it’s fact is not true and could cause unnecessary distress.

You’re right, not everyone chants disturbing stuff on those marches but a proportion certainly do, week on week and year on year.It’s caused division and antisemitism.

The police took a softly softly approach to the marches which is why there were few arrests.

Eurovision has always mixed music and politics, that part is not new. The Big Five pay more because the contest needs their funding to exist. Dropping out would save little and remove any influence you still have. The simpler option is to accept it as entertainment, not a fair competition.

Allira

I think it could be the wrong thread.

I already posted this on the Bondi shooting thread.

No someone accused all the countries that withdrew from Eurovision of being responsible for Bondi.

Nobody is responsible for what happened at Bondi other than the perpetrators, but the countries pulling out of Eurovision are signalling hatred for Israel which then goes on to fuel general antisemitism.It really really doesn’t help.

It’s not a question of police taking a softly softly approach, there was no violence from a crowd of over 350,000 apart from 8 arrests, for what I don’t know.
Had there been threats to Jews or other violence then police would obviously arrest.

Oreo

He was Muslim by his name, but was obvs proud of his country and seeing his chance to disarm a gunman he took it.
Unlike the Islamist extremists who are swines.

As you say, Oreo, no-one is saying all Muslims are Islam terrorists.

However, some of these people seem to think that all Jews, wherever in the world, are responsible for the attacks on Gaza.

Well it gives them an excuse to be foul doesn’t it.🤬

Oreo

Well it gives them an excuse to be foul doesn’t it.🤬

It's very worrying.