Turkish PM claims Israeli Eurovision win was fixed
Binali Yidrim tells Turkish TV: "Netta Barzilai wasn’t good", Israelis "only know how to kill, not sing" and they were allowed to win so they can host it in Jerusalem and start a religious war next year
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yidrim has claimed Israel rigged last month’s Eurovision win so they can host next year’s event in Jerusalem and start a religious war.
Speaking to Turkish Babala TV, he also said how, Netta Barzilai, who sang ‘Toy’, to claim Israel’s fourth win in the competition, “wasn’t good” and that “Israel is only able to kill, not to sing.”
Also implying Israel was allowed to win, so it can host next year’s competition in Jerusalem and instigate a religious war, he added: “The song contest this year developed to an ideological thing. For the first time, they let Israel win the competition so that they can host it next year.
“They let them win despite not getting points as it’s being held in the country next year that won. They changed the voting method. They planned everything so that it can be held in Jerusalem purposely. The imperialists did it since they want the contest to be held in Jerusalem next year in order to sow strife between religions.”
Turkey, which has won Eurovision once, hasn’t entered it since 2013, claiming discrimination in favour of the large countries in the European Union.
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