Cyprus-Forum.com

[Saint Jimmy]

Haha

By the way moose, 'P*****mal**a' is heavy shit man. Malaka is ok, I guess, but that one could get you into trouble in the future!

[Chrisswirl]

Two years ago Cyprus gave Turkey the 8 points and it was exactly as much as it was needed in order to win the competition. Turkey never gave us one single point.

That's not true, actually. I think in 2004, Turkey gave Cyprus at least 1 point for Lisa Andreas' entry, but you're right about Sertab.

On a side note, I prefered Turkey's entry to Cyprus's this year, and I liked the fact that they sung in Turkish. We voted for Greece, Israel and Malta.

[cannedmoose]

I think it should return to the days when the countries sang in their native languages... many of the performers last night were obviously not comfortable (or even able) singing in english and thus didn't give their best performance. We should delight in our linguistic diversity across this continent (at least in events like this), not try to cover it up...

[cannedmoose]

We voted for Greece, Israel and Malta.

That's the only one I disagree with your voting for... the girl was lovely and she sang the song really well, but I can't bring myself to vote for a country that has institutionalised apartheid and conducts random acts of murder on an oppressed native population.

[Chrisswirl]

cannedmoose, I agree with you on singing in our local languages. As for Israel, my vote was purley based on the song. I honestly don't know what's taking them so long in giving Palestine independance though, and I don't like the way they keep taking a little bit more land every time they make a plan, like the way they built a wall *inside* an already reduced Palestinian territory.

[magikthrill]

We voted for Greece, Israel and Malta.

That's the only one I disagree with your voting for... the girl was lovely and she sang the song really well, but I can't bring myself to vote for a country that has institutionalised apartheid and conducts random acts of murder on an oppressed native population.

amen moose.

i was so proud though that cyprus didnt end up giving shit to israel. i was VERY disapointed though that israel was in the top 5. i mean song contest aside this is also a political competition.

did you guys here how lebanon refused to participate because they werent allowed to broadcast the competition sans israel? now thats sticking to your principles!

FREE PALESTINE!

[cannedmoose]

Yes I was Thrill and I thought it was honourable that Lebanon stuck to their guns and pulled out of the competition. It's about time that the world responded to Israel in the way that it dealt with South Africa's system of apartheid during the 1980s.

Why don't we? Two reasons, one the Americans bully the rest of us into continuing with normal relations, and two, there remains collective guilt about the holocaust. What bugs me with the second argument is that effectively what the Israeli's have done in the Middle East is to act like the Nazi regime, invading their neighbours at will, oppressing the numerical minority within their borders and establishing the vast concentration camp that is the Gaza Strip (I know what it's like, I lived there for 4 months).

Recently in the UK, there has been established an academic boycott by some lecturers unions against Israeli universities, meaning that co-operation and collaboration is not permitted, no visiting academics from Israeli universities are encouraged, nor are visits to Israel. Whilst always suspicious of trades unions, I fully support such measures. The only way to change Israeli government policy is to harm the interests of its population, the people who vote in men like Netanyahu and Sharon.

It's about time Israel was suspended from Eurovision for the same reason. Although that would mean we're denied looking at the lovely Israeli singer who performed this year... oh well, sacrifices have to be made for justice to prevail.

Sorry for going totally off-subject...

Sigharitiria Elena kai Ellada!

[magikthrill]

moose you lived in the Gaza Strip??? thats awesome. you must tell me more.

as far as divestment is concerned we tried doing that in our uni (i helped co-found our Students for Justice in Palesinte chapter) but couldnt work the students for israel group are much more powerful

but yes congrats to greece and thanks to cyprus and turkey for the douzes

[cannedmoose]

I worked on an aid project after Uni, so before the Intifada began (can't imagine ever going there during the heavy fighting), helping to renovate schools for kids with learning difficulties in Gaza City and Rafah (which is literally the worst place on earth). Last thing I heard, it had been quite seriously damaged when the Israeli's assassinated a leading member of Hamas just outside by firing a hellfire missile from an Apache. Luckily none of the kids were there because it was nighttime, but it left the front section of the school in ruins from the resulting fire. Don't know if there was any money in the pot to rebuild it.

I was stunned during my time there, never seen poverty in such an extreme. Thousands of kids all over the streets the whole time because the education system was in collapse. You go into refugee camps and people are living in prefabricated shacks with the bare minimum of sanitation - really awful. Oh, and the constant reminder of Israeli checkpoints on the roads that force people to walk/drive/ride along the beach for miles to get between towns and the regular daily F-15 overflights at very low level and just about sub-sonic speed to rattle the windows. Also the occasional Israeli gunboat hovering offshore watching the beach.

Suffice it to say that it felt like living in a prison, or I hesitate to say, a concentration camp. Difference for me was that I could get out, the Palestinians were locked in...

[garbitsch]

Congrads Ellada! I really liked the song. I also liked the Spanish song aswell. It's pitty they didnt fare well
I remember Turkey giving some points to Cyprus last year. I watched Eurovision in BBC 1 and Terry is so funny. He made a comment about Turkey giving 12 pts to Greece. I didn't recall it right now. I think it was "I'd never believe Turkey and Greece giving points to each other". I think he made another comment about Cyprus giving 12 pts to Greece. He said before the announcement of the 12 points "Surprise me". And when it's announced, he said " ok I am surprised, astonished and aghasten". God may bless him!