Á Facebook má finna nokkuð sérkennilegan hóp sem heitir Israeli-Icelandic conversation. Í raun er þetta nokkurs konar aðdáunarklúbbur þeirra Íslendinga sem styðja Ísrael. Þeir eru ekki margir, 387 meðlimir þegar þetta er skrifað. Það má því ætla að herferð sem stofanandi hópsins, Yogev Segal, hyggst koma á fætur verði ekki sérlega áhrifarík en hún segir þó ákveðna sögu.
Í stuttu máli þá vill hann fyrir alla muni koma í veg fyrir að Bashar Murad sigri Söngvakeppni sjónvarpsins. Ekkert bendir þó til þess að Hera Björk sjálf hafi vitneskju um þetta. Hans tillag snýst um að stuðningsmenn Ísrael reyni að fá sem flesta til að kjósa lag Heru Bjarkar. Það sé öruggasta leiðin til að sjá til þess að Palestínumaður sjáist ekki á sviði í Svíþjóð í vor. Að vísu segist hann ekkert hafa á móti því að Palestínumenn taki þátt í Eurovision. Það sé bara óhentugt núna. Að lokum bætir hann því við að hann vilji helst að herferðin fari fram hljóðlega.
Hér fyrir neðan má lesa ákall Yogev Segal í heild sinni á ensku.
Until now in this group we mostly talk, I want to try for the first time to also do something actively. so…
Vote for Hera Björk
Söngvakeppnin final takes place this Saturday – let’s make Iceland choose Hera Bjork and not Bashar Murad.
It’s a bit unfair, I know. I have nothing against Bashar. I know he was chosen to participate before the October 7th and probably the song was written before too. I have nothing in principle against the participation of a Palestinian singer in the Eurovision, on the contrary – I am even in favor of the participation of Palestine in the Eurovision one day.
But I understand the situation created, the circumstances. Basher’s participation will be politically damaging even if he doesn’t say a word. It will be even more serious if at the same time Israel does not participate (and it will be our fault only, but still). And above all, personally – I fear what Basher’s participation might do to the relationship between Iceland and Israel, especially if Iceland wins Eurovision (I don’t think it will happen because Bashar’s song is not strong, but you never know).
So this coming Saturday – vote for Hara! Talk to 2-3 friends or family and get them to vote for Hera too. Iceland is a small country- toghrther we can make it happen. Hera looks like the contestant with the biggest chances to be selected apart from Basher, so don’t vote for others.
Of course, Let’s do it quietly – without signs and without shouting. we know how the pro-Palestinian movement works – with boycotts, intimidation and threats, even life threats, and I don’t want dear Hera Bjork to be threatened because some pro-Israelis support her.
Let’s do this.