In direct violation of the BDS movements, Olly Alexander has signed and released a statement alongside other performers stating their decision to perform alongside Israel at Eurovision 2024.
Olly Alexander is a British singer, actor, and LGBTQ+ activist best known as the lead vocalist of the synth-pop band Years & Years. Alexander is also recognized for his acting roles in films and television series, including the critically acclaimed drama series “It’s a Sin.”
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Olly Alexander’s decision to perform alongside Israel not only disregards the principles of solidarity and justice but also directly undermines the Palestinian call for boycott as a means of nonviolent resistance against Israeli apartheid policies. [1]
By participating in an event alongside Israel, which systematically violates the human rights of Palestinians through its occupation, settlement expansion, and discriminatory practices, Alexander is effectively normalizing and legitimizing Israel’s oppression of the Palestinian people. [2]
The parallels between apartheid South Africa and Israel’s treatment of Palestinians are striking, and the BDS movement draws upon the successful strategies employed in the anti-apartheid struggle. Just as international artists and activists boycotted South Africa to pressure the government to end apartheid, so too does BDS seek to isolate Israel diplomatically, economically, and culturally until it complies with international law and respects Palestinian rights. [3]
It is deeply disappointing that Olly Alexander, who identifies as a queer artist and has spoken out against discrimination and inequality, would ignore the voices of Palestinians who are subjected to systemic oppression on a daily basis. By prioritizing their career over the principles of justice and solidarity, Alexander is unfortunately contributing to the marginalization and erasure of Palestinian narratives and experiences.
What makes this decision even more heinous is that after the start of the Ukraine/Russia war and the atrocious escalation, Russia was rightfully sanctioned across the board — including being banned from performing at the 2022 Eurovision as a show of solidarity against the crimes committed. [4]
In light of this, the decision to allow Israel to perform despite its active ethnic cleansing and genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people demonstrates selective outrage at best and downright racism and dehumanising anti-Arab beliefs at its worst. [5]
The notion that Palestinian lives do not warrant the same condemnation of their oppressor is downright sadistic, especially since the world has witnessed Israel’s indiscriminate slaughter of civilians which — at the time of writing — has resulted in the death of over 35,000 Palestinians; many of whom are children.
Therefore, Olly Alexander’s statement that they will not withdraw from the Oscars under the guise of believing music is a ‘unifying’ force that inspires hope and compassion is not only a cop-out but an inadvertent affirmation that Palestinian lives do not hold the same gravitas as their counterparts.
In a later interview published by the BBC speaking on his decision to participate and the impact of the boycotts against Eurovision, Olly Alexander claimed allegations against him being complicit in the genocide of Palestinians as 'extreme, very extreme' and stated while he understands where the sentiment comes from, "it's not correct" and even describes the active genocide as an "extremely complicated political situation" which only further serves to both dehumanise Palestinians but also justify their ethnic cleansing. [6]
BDS Boycott:
The BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement is a global campaign which follows the worldwide boycott movement that led to the successful dismantling of apartheid in South Africa and therefore advocates for various sustained forms of boycott against Israel until it complies with international law.
Founded as a response to the rampant, ongoing and systemic dispossession, displacement, and disenfranchisement endured by generations of Palestinians, the BDS movement is in direct response to the relentless expansion of Israeli settlements, the imposition of discriminatory laws and the denial of basic rights to millions living under occupation, apartheid or in exile with no right of return.
Central to the ethos of BDS is the belief that every purchase and action carries a weighty moral responsibility. To buy goods from or actively support companies or organizations on the BDS list is to cast a vote in favor of perpetuating injustice, a tacit endorsement of the status quo of occupation and discrimination. It’s a direct violation of the collective conscience, a betrayal of the fundamental principles of human rights and dignity.
By pressuring Israel and its supporters by withdrawing support and capital, humanity aims to bring awareness to — and ultimately — end the occupation of Palestine, grant equal rights to all Palestinians and recognize the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes. This pressure also extends to any individuals and entities found to be complicit in the normalization, funding or support of Israel’s brutal occupation and 75+ years of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
Dehumanization of Palestinians:
The systematic erasure of Palestinian history and culture is a well-documented effort that has been ongoing since the early 1900s. This erasure has taken many forms, including the destruction of physical records and infrastructure, the suppression of Palestinian voices and narratives, the appropriation of Palestinian cultural heritage and most visibly, the dehumanization of the Palestinian populace.
From the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, Palestinian records, literature, and cultural heritage faced deliberate and concerted efforts to obliterate their existence and narrative. This deliberate "archival silencing" has made reconstructing this period in Palestinian history incredibly challenging, yet the truths that remain paint a horrifying picture of the deliberate erasure and destruction of an entire population and its culture.
The dehumanization of Palestinians has been a deliberate policy, perpetuated through military operations, discriminatory laws, Israeli education and a pervasive culture that fosters prejudice. Dehumanising rhetoric, portraying Palestinians as "roaches" and "rats," lays the foundation for atrocities by stripping away their humanity in the eyes of the oppressor.
Widespread media narratives also project institutional biases ranging from depicting Palestinians solely as militants or desperate victims and erasing their normal daily life to embedding language biases around land, protests and resistance tactics. These patterns collectively indicate how public discourse within segments of Israeli society systematically dehumanize Palestinians while entrenching prejudices against them.
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