Pod Save America Hosts Call on Democrats to Cut All Israel Military Aid, No Longer Accept AIPAC Funding
Jews, Israelis Targeted in Austria Amid Surge in Antisemitic Incidents; Local Jewish Community Calls for Action
‘All of Our Strength’: Over 1,000 Pro-Israel Activists Gather in DC for Solidarity Conference
‘Devastated’: Wesley LePatner, Killed in Manhattan Mass Shooting, Was a Jewish Communal, Philanthropic Leader
Sen. Angus King Vows to No Longer Vote for Israel Military Aid Until Gaza Conditions Improve
Europe Won’t Pressure Israel to ‘Commit Suicide’ Amid Gaza Backlash, Palestinian State Push, Says Israeli FM
Israel’s National Soccer Coach Attacked in Athens Before Soccer Fans Chant ‘F–K Israel, Free Palestine’ at Match
New York Judge Sentences Neo-Nazi to 5 Years for Livestreaming Bomb Threats Against Jewish Hospitals
US Pressures Lebanon to Issue Cabinet Decision to Disarm Hezbollah Before Talks Continue
UK Plans to Recognize Palestinian State in September Unless Israel Meets Conditions, Starmer Says
‘Good Morning Britain’ Deletes ‘Disgusting’ Survey on Boycotting Eurovision in Israel After Sparking Anger
by Shiryn Ghermezian
Israeli fans celebrate at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, after Netta Barzilai won the Grand Final of Eurovision Song Contest, May 13, 2018. Photo: Reuters / Corinna Kern.
The UK television program “Good Morning Britain” deleted on Friday a Twitter poll that asked members of the public whether they thought Britain should boycott this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, which is being held in Israel.
The poll, published on Thursday, asked, “There are calls for Britain to boycott this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, over Israel’s human rights record. Do you agree?”
Supporters of Israel and members of the UK Jewish community were outraged by what they saw as a legitimization of efforts to boycott the Jewish state.
Former IDF Spokesperson Peter Lerner called on “Good Morning Britain” to apologize and said that the results of the poll — 60 percent said they did not agree with efforts to boycott the Eurovision contest — indicated “the disgust people have with you asking.”
Elad Ratson, the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s London-based special envoy for digital diplomacy, said that the morning show “must take their audience for fools! They run a twitter poll with a misleading question deliberately coercing people to vote against Israel. When the condescending mockery backfires, they delete the tweet. Hypocrisy at its best!”
The Israel Britain Alliance called the poll “preposterous” and David Collier, a researcher who documents Jew-hatred, described it as “disgraceful” and “disgusting.”
He added, “Will media outlets please get the message. BDS isn’t about Palestinian rights nor settlements. It is a call to destroy Israel. When you sanitise [sic] the boycott movement you do the work of antisemites and radical Islamists. Please stop it.”
A spokesperson for “Good Morning Britain” said on Friday that the poll was removed because the matter could “not be effectively addressed” in that format. The spokesperson explained that the show “regularly invites viewers to respond to questions on subjects which are going to be debated the following day. On reflection it was decided that this multi layered issue could not be effectively addressed in a simple yes or no question/answer format and needed to reflect the complexity of the subject matter which was thoroughly covered in the studio debate this morning.”
