What a mighty man is Kevin Bakhurst, the director general of RTÉ. He has said he has asked the European Broadcasting Union for a discussion on Israel’s participation. Well, two cheers for that. But will (the south of) Ireland compete in Eurovision this weekend, given the genocidal state of Israel will be performing? Here’s Kevin again:
“We are mindful of RTÉ’s obligations as an independent, impartial public-service news and current-affairs provider, and of the need to maintain RTÉ’s objectivity in covering the war in Gaza.”
Scrub those two cheers. Picture the scene: I am standing at the side of the road, watching a garda do a speed check on vehicles. A huge motorbike appears and smashes into the garda, killing him. Should I maintain my objectivity in the face of what happened? Or should I be consumed with outrage and grief that such a killing was allowed to happen?
Likewise, Ireland should NOT be objective in the face of genocide. That smacks of Trump’s famous comment on a clash between MAGA fascists and protestors in his first term: Trump figured there were ‘good people on both sides’.
Ireland has a chance to tell the world what it thinks of Israel’s carnage in Gaza. Only moral cowardice of the lowest sort will prevent an Irish protest.
By the way, when does Kevin Bakhurst, that objective man, finish his term of office in RTÉ? If it can’t be today, maybe we should shout for it tomorrow.
e
RTE would have done the same during Hitler’s reign of terror, People with any sort of compassion will boycott this show of support for genocide.
Absolutely repugnant that you would try to deny a survivor of the 7th October terrorist attack her place in the Eurovision song contest. Yuval Raphael was wounded and had to hide underneath dead bodies to avoid being captured or murdered by Hamas thugs. But of course that doesn’t matter.
Of course the killings of October 7 matter. But so does the vile treatment of Palestinians from1948. There isn’t the faintest hint of proportionality in Israel’s reaction to October 7.Ireland should boycott ANYTHING that features Israel.
Surveyor, could you name 1 Palestinian who has been injured since 7th October? Or maybe a Palestinian that was injured prior to 7th October?
Ken is right but how many of us could name victims from the other side? I know the names of loads of victims of British and loyalist armed groups but hardly any who were victims of the IRA. How many unionists could name one person who died on Bloody Sunday? I can’t name one person who died at Le Mon. During war time or conflict people naturally support their side. Should I have supported the RUC or UDA? The IRA never killed someone for being a Catholic.