Eurovision 2019: ASIE: Israel/Palestine Conflict Pt.2

A direct continuation of Part 1; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2019/06/eurovision-2019-asie-israelpalestine.html

Following the Song Contest Israel's government collapsed.

This was caused by Netanyahu's Likud Party's inability to resolve a dispute between the United Right coalition and another of its coalition partners. The Yisrael Beiteinu or "Israel Our Home" Party led by Avigdor Lieberman.

Like Jewish Home and the other members of the United Right coalition Yisrael Beiteinu is a Zionist party. That means it is committed to the expansion of Israel as a Jewish state.

However, unlike the United Right coalition Yisrael Beiteinu is a secular party rather than an Orthodox Jewish one. Meaning that it wishes to create a secular nation. Rather than one based on Jewish religious law.

Also since the Song Contest my coverage has been deemed to be not anti-Semitic enough. Resulting in me being blocked from Twitter. Really preventing me from having contact with any Israelis. Jewish or otherwise.

Which is particularly frustrating at the moment. I could certainly do with some feedback as I drop bombs across the entire region.

However my limited understanding is that the dispute between the United Right and Yisrael Beiteinu is twofold;

Firstly there is the issue of compulsory military service. Yisrael Beiteinu believe this should apply to all Israeli citizens. The United Right coalition believe that members of the Ultra Orthodox community should be exempt. The same Ultra Orthodox community they represent.

The other major cause of friction is over Israel's practise of paying Ultra Orthodox men a monthly stipend to study the Talmud rather than work. The Ultra Orthodox United Right are very keen on this. While Yisrael Beiteinu and the, roughly, 90% of Israel's Jews who are not Ultra Orthodox are very opposed to it.

In its 2019 Song Contest entry Britain raised the issue of automation in the workplace. Along with how, in the future, it may led to nations paying their citizens a Universal Basic Income. Essentially paying people not to work because all the work is being done by machines.

It shows how even the Israeli far-right is still pretty left-of-centre. Israel has been providing a Universal Basic Income for decades. Provided you're an Ultra Orthodox Jew. And a man.

At the September 2019 election Avigdor Lieberman's gamble did seem to pay off. Wrapping himself in the secular afterglow of the Eurovision Song Contest Yisrael Beiteinu increased their number of seats by 3 to 8.

However it did not pay off enough. Yisrael Beiteinu failed to win enough seats to exclude United Right and form a coalition with just Likud.

Yisrael Beiteinu also did not win enough seats to exclude Likud and form a coalition with the Blue & White coalition. Which won exactly the same number of seats as Likud.

Truly anything is always possible in Israeli politics. However the chances of Blue & White and United Right forming a coalition were always going to be extremely slim.

So once again Israel has failed to form a government. Meaning it gets to experience a third General Election in March 2020.

In his physical appearance Kobi Marimi closely resembles Freddie Mercury, lead singer of legendary rock band "Queen."

That allows you to bring into conversation all of Queen and Freddie Mercury's body of work. Particularly the song; "The Great Pretender." The theme song of former US President Obama's ill-fated Paris Agreement.

There has been a recent resurgence in interest in the work of both Freddie Mercury and Queen due to the 2018 biopic; "Bohemian Rhapsody." This saw Freddie Mercury being played by the Egyptian-American actor Rami Malik.

The reference to Rami Malik allows you to bring in the relationship between Israel and its  neighbour Egypt. Both past, present and future. Significant given the Eurovision Song Contest's role in securing the 1978 Camp David Accords.

It also allows me to mention the Egyptian media's coverage of Malik winning the 2019 Best Actor Oscar for the Freddie Mercury role. The Ahram news agency basically ran the headline;

"RAMI MALIK WINS OSCAR! OTHERS ALSO PRESENT."

Which I thought was hilarious. It certainly showed a lot more self-awareness than the British media's coverage of Olivia Coleman winning the Best Actress Oscar.Which didn't even acknowledge that others were present.

At around 18:20 on 23/12/19 (UK date) think you all know how this goes now. It drags on for 8 nights and each one's slightly crappier than the last.

Edited at around 17:00 on 24/12/19 (UK date) to add;

Rami Malik's big break-through role came in the 2015 show; "Mr Robot." I hesitate to describe it as a TV Show. It was one of the first productions made exclusively for the Amazon Prime online streaming service.

Also featuring in Mr Robot was the American actress Frankie Shaw. She has since gone on to write, produce and star in the show; "S.M.I.L.F" for the US broadcast network Showtime.

Along with "The Orville" and "Blindspot" S.M.I.L.F was one of the very first shows I ever streamed online.

I didn't mention it at the time because I really don't want to getting into the situation of filing an incident report on every TV show I happen to stream.

Also S.M.I.L.F is one of those character driven shows which isn't really about anything in particular. It's essentially the diary of a poor single mother raising her child in Boston, Massachusetts, US.

I enjoyed it though. But then I am the sort of person who can find the humour in a woman masturbating to fantasies about being sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. Only to remember she's got Fiery Hot Cheetos dust on her fingers.

Hers is certainly not the sort of voice you see every day on mainstream US TV.

Since the Song Contest I've been able to watch the second season of S.M.I.L.F. The fact that I didn't mention that is was one of the first shows I streamed online seems to have caused anxiety on set.

For example in the second season characters frequently make a big display of drinking bottles of Guinness. As if it were an unpopular product placement deal they'd had foisted upon them.

The episode titles also seem very similar to the episode titles used in Blindspot. Which read like cryptic crossword clues.

The anxiety seems to have gotten so bad that S.M.I.L.F was forced to draft in support from an awkwardly acronymed emotional support animal. One who continues to be married to the character "Baby" from the 1987 movie "Dirty Dancing."


The anxiety probably doesn't help that one of the main stars of the show is Rosie O'Donnell. That very fat lesbian who absolutely promised that she would leave the US if Donald Trump was ever elected President.

So it must be a bit of a headache for her. Having one of Trump's key advisers loving her work and agreeing with her on pretty much everything else.

I suppose you could turn Frankie Shaw's performance anxiety into a discussion about the challenges women face in breaking into the TV and movie industry.

Taking a TV show or movie you've been working on for years and showing it to millions of people is obviously quite a nerve wracking experience. Particularly if you've got backers to invest millions of dollars in the project on the promise people will like it.

Generally speaking men tend to be quite hard headed and confident of their own abilities. While women tend to be more neurotic and unsure of themselves.

I can't help but wonder whether that, rather than discrimination, is what prevents women from leading more TV and movie productions.

A prime example of this would be; "The Mindy Project." A US sitcom which ran from 2012 to 2017. Created and staring Mindy Kaling.

Watching the show it was pretty clear that Mindy Kaling would listen to all the feedback to her project. Taking any criticism on board and constantly making changes in an effort to keep everyone happy.

So, for example, people complained that it didn't feature enough non-white characters. Despite Mindy Kaling herself being of Indian heritage. Almost instantly the show dropped a white practice nurse character replacing her with a black character.

Then people complained they missed the white practice nurse. Leading to the show to bring back the character. Dropping the black character but introducing a new black character to compensate.

I can't say that I watched the show regularly. However in every episode I did watch it seemed the cast and plot had changed completely from the last episode I'd watched.

That made it seem like really hard work and eventually I gave up. It seems that quite a lot of people agreed with me on this and the show was cancelled in 2015. Only to be rescued by the streaming service Hulu.

I can't help but feel that a man would have ignored the criticism and just ploughed ahead with their artistic vision regardless.

Prior to appearing in the Song Contest Kobi Marimi was probably most well known for playing the role of; "Natan, Rabbi of Gaza" in the opera; "Messiah Now."

This dealt with the concept of the Jewish Messiah and an offshoot of Judaism known as Messianic Judaism.

Probably one of the most famous Messianic Jewish sects is Christianity.

Christians believe that Jesus Christ, a Jew from Bethlehem in modern day Israel is the Messiah.

However Christians also believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. This is where they diverge from traditional Judaism.

In the Jewish tradition "Messiah" means simply "King" or "Leader." A mortal being anointed by God. "Messiah" literally translates as; "Anointed."

Rather like how Roman Catholics believe the Pope is anointed by God to lead them. Or how Church of England Protestants believe God has anointed Queen Elizabeth II and her bloodline to lead them.

Christians believe that Jesus Christ is not just anointed by God but God himself. God made flesh and blood here on Earth. This is heretical to Jews who believe that God can never be known, let alone seen. He certainly can't take on human form.

It is this heresy which led the Jews to demand that the Romans executed Jesus Christ.

Or as the 1979 movie; "Monty Python's Life of Brian" put it;

"He's not the Messiah. He's just a very naughty boy."

Aside from explaining one of the main ideological differences between Judaism and Christianity this also seemed to be a bit of a joke at my expense.

One of my most famous distinguishing features are full thickness scars on the palms of my hands. The result of third degree thermic burns.

What is curious is that these scars have formed in the shape of Stigmata. The supposed marks in the hands and feet of Jesus Christ where the Romans nailed him to the cross. At the Jews insistence.

Me, being the guy named Sovereign with stigmata on his hands, can freak Christians out a bit. Particularly now I seem to have added a Magdalene prostitute to the roster.

The only way I can make it worse is by pointing out that I chose neither the name nor the scars. They chose me.

My apparent anointment is also quite significant to Shia Muslims.

All Muslims believe that God has sent a series of Prophets to Earth to act as guides for humans. Jesus Christ was one such Prophet. With Muhammad being the most recent, famous and important.

Sunni Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad is the last Prophet that God will send to Earth. Shia Muslims believe that God will send one final Prophet.

Officially the Shia Islamic Republic of Iran is built around preparation for the arrival of this final Prophet.

Some within Iran have suggested that I am that final Prophet. Apparently now I've been blocked by Twitter they're just writing messages on paper and chucking them down a well. In the hope they'll reach me eventually.

I suspect though they might be attempting to wind people up.

But, as the old joke goes;

"My hands. They certainly open a lot of doors in that part of the World."  

At around 17:10 on 24/12/19 (UK date) you know there is more to come.

Edited at around 16:30 on 25/12/19 (UK date) to copy & paste;

Over the years there have been many who have claimed to be the King of the Jews. With varying degrees of success.

However the musical "Messiah Now!" deals specifically with Sabbatai Zevi. Who was reasonably successful in claiming to be the Messiah in the 17th Century.

Sabbatai Zevi was born in Izmir, Turkey. At the time this was the Ottoman Empire. So it was easy for Sabbatai Zevi to travel to Egypt and then onto Gaza, Palestine. However he was prevented from entering Jerusalem.

So I think it's really best I stop explaining those funny road markings there. After all we've all read Hamas' new charter. And we all remember the attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Sabbatai Zevi was eventually forced to convert to Islam by Turkish Emperor Mehmed IV (the Hunter). He died in Ulcinj, Montenegro.

Something which rather neatly brings up both EU expansion into the Western Balkans. Along with both of the key irregular migration routes. Across the Mediterranean and the Balkans.

Sabbatai Zevi declared himself the Messiah in 1666. This is a very important period in British history. Including both the English Civil Wars, the Orange invasion of Ireland - which really started The Troubles in Northern Ireland - and the Glorious Revolution.

It was this period which really sort of saw the birth of modern Britain. Including the passing of key pieces of legislation which are still in use across the UK Commonwealth to this day. Including the Act of Settlement of 1700 and the Bill of Rights of 1689.

Legislation we've all become very familiar with as part of the Brexit debate. Although we've since learnt that the UK Supreme Court really needs to brush up on the latter.

Here I don't think the hosts were trying to make any particular point. They were just laying it all out on the table. So it was there in case anybody wanted it.

1666 was also the year of the Great Fire of London. Which, despite what the UK Labour Party may claim, did not occur at the Grenfell Tower in 2017.

Here a point was definitely being made.

That cladding was added to Grenfell Tower to comply with the UK's obligations under the Kyoto Protocol. So as soon as it happened every signatory to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) investigated.

As with Climate Change itself a consensus was reached. With just one really strange outlier.

Even that very strange outlier was forced into a hurried confession. By that mountain being moved in New Zealand during the recent COP25 Summit.

At around 16:40 on 25/12/19 (UK date) remember. This is still only day four.

Edited at around 16:25 on 26/12/19 (UK date) to copy & paste;

The concept of a Messiah is particularly important within the Jewish discipline of Kabbalah. As with all articles of faith this is a real challenge to explain rationally.

Basically though Jews, Christians and Muslims all believe that God created the universe.

Christians and Muslims though believe that God is somehow separate from the universe. As if it were some sort of model railway he'd built in Heaven's basement which he checks in on occasionally.

Jews though believe that God created the universe from himself. So God and the universe are one and the same thing.

Very much as if the universe were God and his body there is God's head. The "God Head." This is the great unknowable which can never be seen nor understood. So don't even bother with a discussion about whether God is male or female.

Then there is the nervous system. Sometimes referred to as the; "Tree of Life." This is made up of 10 nodes connected by 22 lines. These essential powers need to be kept in balance with each other.

The concept of the Tree of Life within Kabbalah is really not that different from the Asian Animist concept of the Wu Xing. The five essential elements of the universe. Or as men of science, with their perfect rules of measure have tried to describe it; "The Quantum Field."

Kabbalah is based around the idea that the God Head occasionally sends messages along the nervous system to guide humans.

So imagine there'd been this big fire in Britain's capital, London. Which had killed 71 people.

193 separate law enforcement agencies had conducted their own investigations. Independently reaching the consensus that it was an arson attack. Yet there was one sole outlier, claiming it was an accident.

That's the sort of thing that may well prompt the God Head to send a little message shooting through the nervous system. To give the outlier a nasty jolt. 

I think one of the most famous example of one of these little messages is the Biblical story of The Binding of Isaac. Celebrated by Muslims as The Feast of Sacrifice/Eid al-Adha.

God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son Issac as a gesture of faith. The moment that Abraham demonstrated his faith by moving to kill Isaac God sent a goat to suddenly appear in the bushes. Meaning that Isaac was saved and they could feast on the goat instead.

Another very famous example being the Burning Bush from Exodus. Moses saw God in a bush that was on fire but not being burnt by it. This was God's message that Moses was the Messiah, temporary leader of the Jews.

Kabbalah teaches that God also provided these ancient texts to help interpret these messages through the nervous system. You have to read and re-read these texts to find the levels and nuances of meaning within them.

So for example Leviticus may say that; "If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination."

Yet the Tree of Life keeps making these gay people pop up out of nowhere. So is that God instructing you to question his authority or the way that Moses interpreted the message?

Christians of course will argue that gay people are being created by the Devil to test them. Jews though don't have a concept of the Devil. With God being the universe then all that exists within the universe is also God.

The closest Jews have to a concept of the Devil is the Blind Angel, Samael. Even he is considered to be Gods servant. His venom. The red right hand wielded whenever blind justice must be administered.

Over Christmas my beloved London Mayor Sadiq Khan showed his charity by allowing homeless people to stay in City Hall. Where he treated them to free eye tests. In a clear, pointed jab at my damn eyes.

As usual it seems to have gone completely over his head.

So no, Sadiq Khan isn't a Muslim. Sadiq Khan is a Grade: A, Muppet.

The term "Kabbalah" literally translates from Hebrew as; "The Conversation." The constant conversation between humans and God.

However I have it on good authority that it more accurately translates as; "The Argument." After all most things in Israeli tend to translate as; "The Argument."

Kabbalah is a practice that is supposed to be regularly undertaken by all Jews. On the Sabbath, between the two sunsets. However the term has been rather appropriated by some weird California cult.

You know, the batsh*t crazy stuff half-time performer Madonna's involved in.

All this talk of the Tree of Life is of course intended to remind you;

Back in November 2018 US Democrats were once again running for re-election. So there was a mass-shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pennsylvania.

After all mass murder is just how US Democrats show that they care. By making you so afraid you start thinking that only they can protect you.

In the aftermath of that shooting an Israeli Rabbi declared that the Tree of Life Synagogue was not a Synagogue at all.

That was the result of a really niche Kabbalah argument. Not just between God and humans but between two sets of humans over the result of the argument with God.

As the old joke goes; "Every town must have at least two Jewish Temples. So everyone can hold a grudge."

References to the Tree of Life also bring in the US TV Show; "Blindspot."

The first season, being the first full season I ever streamed online features a character with a pseudo-Christian, artistic Tree of Life tattoo on his forearm. An actual drawing of the Tree of Life looks more like a flowchart or a telephone tree.

That Blindspot tattoo is particularly relevant clue to the Skripal, Novichok poisoning in, what is almost my native, Salisbury, UK. As in; 

"Remember. You did this to yourself." 

So Russia now has four free passes in the UK.

The UK has spent the last 7-10 days on its knees. Begging Russia not to waste them.

At around 16:35 on 26/12/19 (UK date) remember. This is only day five.

Edited at around 17:00 on 27/12/19 (UK date) to copy & paste;

The video in support of Israel's entry begins with Kobi Marimi being surrounded by these tall concrete pillars. Standing like tomb stones or a cenotaph they cast a long shadow.

This motif of the darkness of the past continues throughout the black and white video.

This is a reference to Armenia's 2018 Song Contest entry; "Qami" by Sevak Khanagyan. Which also featured him cast in shadow by large concrete walls.

Armenia's 2018 Song Contest entry was a direct reference to Armenia's 2015 Song Contest entry. "Face the Shadow" by Genealogy. On the 100th anniversary this was a full throated plea for the 1915 Armenian Genocide by, what is now Turkey, to finally be recognised.

Israel made this reference to express its full support for the recognition of the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

"Genocide" and "Holocaust" are obviously huge words within Israel. Not ones you throw about lightly.

Unless of course they're telling you that old joke;

"Q. Why are there no ugly Israeli women?"

"A. Because Hitler did the Jews one favour."

An hilarious riff on; "The Joy Division." The process in which Nazi officers divided up young, attractive Jewish woman from old, ugly Jewish women.

The old and ugly Jewish were sent to gas chambers and furnaces.

The young, attractive Jewish were kept as sex slaves by the Nazi officers. Meaning they survived and were able to have attractive children and grandchildren of their own.

As you may have guessed by now. In Hebrew there is no word which describes the concept of; "Too Far."

Although the band; "Joy Division" really doesn't get much airplay in Israel.

Aside from recognising the 1915 Armenian Genocide this was Israel dropping a massive hammer blow on Ukraine.

On the 100th anniversary of the Genocide Armenia enjoyed a lot of love and support at the 2015 Song Contest. Meaning they were given a lot of leeway with the rules.

They were though forced to rename their entry; "Face The Shadow." The original title; "Don't Deny" was deemed to be too overtly political. Breaking really the Song Contest's one golden rule.

Then suddenly in 2016 Ukraine are allowed to win with the blatantly political entry; "1944." Apparently Nazi occupied Ukraine just doesn't have to follow the rules we're all bound by.

As for Ukraine. They made a big show of their anti-Russian psychosis. Then didn't even bother turn up this year. They know how deeply unpopular their US-imposed Nazi regime is across Europe and much of the World.

Entries for the 2019 Song Contest of course had to be made before Ukraine's March 2019 election. Which saw Volodmyr Zelensky elected President. I think it was that election which really counted as Ukraine's 2019 Song Contest entry.

Normally I wouldn't comment on the fact that Volodmyr Zelensky is Jewish. However he is the Jewish President of a country which still has large, powerful and heavily armed Nazi militias.

So I think it's something we all need to be mindful of. Particularly when releasing the transcripts of telephone calls he's had with other World leaders.

According to his biography Kobi Marimi had struggled for many years to find success as an actor. Apparently what changed for him is that he lost some 47kg (100lbs) in weight.

This was a reference to Netta Barzilai. The woman responsible for bringing the Eurovision Song Contest to Israel.

The 2018 Song Contest was a rather subdued affair. It was really an argument over why everybody had been so stupid as to go to Ukraine in 2017.

Things were different for Israel though.

In December 2017 US President Trump effectively recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Apparently without bothering to consult any Israelis first.

So Israel knew that at the 2018 Song Contest they had to go big.

And they did, literally. In the larger form of Netta. Which promoted all sorts of talking points about the ways in which women's bodies are treated in the entertainment industry.

I really think that Israel were hoping that they'd finish second. Being denied victory by the backlash against Trump's Jerusalem move.

After all with now three General Elections in a year I don't think even actual Holocaust survivors can see the funny side anymore.

It almost goes without saying that no nation wants to go through the hassle of hosting the Song Contest two years in a row.

In 1960 The Netherlands actually refused to host it having won twice in three years. So it was held in the UK instead.

As such something of a tradition has emerged.

The hosts automatically go through to the Grand Finale. Yet they produce the blandest entry of that year's competition.

This was genuinely Israel's attempt at that.

Israel really are to the Eurovision Song Contest as Brazil are to Football. Or New Zealand is to Rugby Union.

I mean you're grateful you don't have to play them.

But it is really frustrating to see them get knocked out at the group-stage.

For no other reason than just mindless anti-Semitism.



17:05 on 27/12/19 (UK date).