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Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.
Sheikh Qassem: The government’s latest decision [on the disarmament of the Resistance] is non-charter-based, and if the government continues down this path, it is not faithful to Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Palestinian Koufiyyeh makes its way into Eurovision after PS flag ban

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 8 May 2024 10:44
2 Min Read

Eurovision’s organizers say they "regret" that an artist chose to wear a Koufiyyeh at the opening.

  • x
  • Swedish-Palestinian singer Eric Saade at Eurovision wearing a Palestinian Koufiyyeh on his wrist on May 7, 2024. ( Social Media)
    Swedish-Palestinian singer Eric Saade at Eurovision wearing a Palestinian Koufiyyeh on his wrist on May 7, 2024. (Social media)

Swedish-Palestinian singer Eric Saade opened the first semi-final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, wearing a Koufiyyeh wrapped around his wrist, a national symbol for the Palestinians in opposing the Israeli occupier.

Saade, who came in third in the 2011 contest, performed his 2011 Eurovision song "Popular". 

Ok #Eurovision .. u decided to cancel Eric Saade bc he had a keffiyeh tied to his arm. We will make him go global

Share his song people & hell with ziovision.. pic.twitter.com/vref2huv2V

— Abier (@abierkhatib) May 8, 2024

He previously expressed anger at the ban on the Palestinian flag during Eurovision and condemned how the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has dealt with the situation involving Israeli participation. 

Eurovision organizers angered

Eurovision’s organizers have said they "regret" that an artist chose to wear a Koufiyyeh at the opening.

A spokesperson for the EBU, which organizes the event, said, "The Eurovision Song Contest is a live TV show."

"All performers are made aware of the rules of the Contest, and we regret that Eric Saade chose to compromise the non-political nature of the event," they added.

Eurovision banned Palestinian flag

According to The Independent, the organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest announced on May 2 that they have the right to prohibit any Palestinian flags and pro-Palestine symbols from the performance in Sweden.

The declaration came amid rising criticism about "Israel's" participation in the annual music competition following its seven-month assault on Gaza.

Pro-Palestine activists were scheduled to hold major protests in Malmo, where the event is occurring, protesting the participation of the occupation.

Eurovision rejected in January demands to disqualify "Israel" from the competition, despite the death toll of its genocidal war exceeding 34,000 Palestinians at the time, the majority being women and children.

Michelle Roverelli, the head of communications for the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the program each year, stated that ticket holders are only permitted to carry and display flags of nations that participate in the event, as well as the rainbow flag.

The Geneva-based EBU maintains the authority "to remove any other flags or symbols, clothing, items, and banners being used for the likely purpose of instrumentalizing the TV shows," Roverelli told The Associated Press. 

  • Eric Saade
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