Because they're a member of the European Brodcasting Union, which runs it.

Israel usually sides with Euro-centric organizations rather than Asian ones - they're in UEFA too...

most votes are for the neighbours they know and understand......................can't blame them really.......I found myself understanding Jedward....

How re they a member of anything European?....

Jedward are class....

The "European Broadcasting Area" is bounded on the west by the western boundary of Region 1 (see below), on the east by the meridian 40° East of Greenwich and on the south by the parallel 30° North so as to include the western part of the USSR, the northern part of Saudi Arabia and that part of those countries bordering the Mediterranean within these limits. In addition, Iraq, Jordan and that part of the territory of Turkey lying outside the above limits are included in the European Broadcasting Area.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E...ontest#Participation

You give 12 points to the country you hate the least regardless of the singer/song. Normally our 12 point vote for Ireland would have been fair enough were it not for the fact they inflicted Tardward on an unsuspecting innocent world.

Thanks Peter but I'll have to get my dad to explain to me cos I just don't get it....

Usually for a combination of cultural and geographical reasons.

TBH, if Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan (which is further east than parts of Iran) can be considered "European", then I don't see why Israel can't...

 

As far as Israel's membership of UEFA's concerned though, I suspect it's partly to avoid the potential problems of them competing regularly against Arab nations...

That's really interesting, Peter.

I'd completely forgotten that Morocco had once competed in the Eurovision (1980).
I'd also wondered about Lebanon: seems they did once apply, but then withdrew...

If your are classed as Europe your are in the Eurovision song contest but I've never heard of Israel being part of Europe....

No. As PeterCat quoted further up, eligibility for the Eurovision Song Contest doesn't depend on being in Europe. To compete, you have to be a "Active Member" of the European Broadcasting Union, and eligibility for that depends on whether or not you're within the European Broadcasting Area.

 

The European Broadcasting Area includes a lot of territory that's actually in North Africa and the Middle East. Several of the countries who entered this year are in Asia (as well as Israel, there was Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan). Even Morocco once competed in the competition... 

maybe it's because as well as  all the  broadcast stuff, most  israeli's  came to israel from europe after the second  world war.

Thankyou everyone it makes a bit more sense to me now....

Stonks, do you find it a bit disappointing that Rumania didn't any votes from us? The guy is Irish after all.

Why would I be? and from what I can remember he's English not Irish....

The Romanian singer was from Newton Aycliffe in the county of Durhamshire. Just up the road from me mind.

He was on the Television this morning on BBC 1 and he was definitelt Irish.

So is that Irish or not.

 No its not Cologne.....have to paddle a bit to get to Ireland.... 

No he's not Irish..he's English....

In an unusual yet continuing piece of logic, I hope he persuaded Romania not to vote for the UK since they shut down our, shipyords, mines, railway industry, chemical works and laser quests.

He sounded Irish on the News rhis morning.

OMG, all I did was edit. Sorry peeps.

This 'voting for your neighbour despite how shite they are' is pathetic and it's the reason why Eurovision is a big pile of cack now.  Biggest waste of tv airtime ever, and it's time we backed out...

Stonks, the Israel as European thing is pure politics.

As others have said it's partly because the postwar state of Israel was founded by mostly European Jews and as the Cold War developed they were seen as a valuable ally in a volatile part of the world.

Plus, if they had to take part in footy games or other cultural activities in the Middle East/North Africa region then quite a few of the participating countries would boycott the event firstly in protest and secondly because some of them don't recognise Israel as a legitimate nation state.

No Col, he isn't Irish, he's from County Durham NE England

That's a Durham accent

It is as you say a pile of shoite...and I agree they should just cancel the whole thing

Bang on Veggie! I've been to Israel and apart from the palm trees and oranges you could be in Moscow. And Israel v. Iran *shudders* would make the Old Firm match look like a cake walk!

Nooooooooooooooooooooo 

Wallander is back next week so panic not! Everyone back to BBC 4 after this week's nonsense. Eventually we'll forget that Italy wuz robbed. Elsewhere I'm sure that Israel played against Iran at least once in my lifetime. But probably before the Islamic revolution which did so much for freedom and emancipation.

If it was in a World Cup in a neutral country then I can see that working, but the Hatikva in Tehran, nope, couldn't happen. Shame as it is.

I had to look it up! Iran beat Israel twice 1968 and 1974. It was only in '74 that teams like Kuwait began boycotting Israel. The laws of averages suggest that Israel will play some inappropriate team eventually but I remember the USA playing Iran and the players themselves behaved in a superior manner to politicians.

Oi Vey! Mazel Tov to Iran then.

 

Graham Norton may as well be. God I can't stand him, 'Oh look we got 6 points from Ireland', 'We?' who in under fcuk is this we you speak off. You are Irish you massive spanner.

Wogan was the same. I assumed it was because they were gabbing on a British channel. Apart from that though, I love both of them on Eurovision. Didn't think anyone could fill Wogan's boots but Norton was cracking me up.

 

I know it's a British channel but when they said 'we' it just annoyed me.

 

Marty Whelan was doing the Irish one and it was funny when it came to each country, he was almost pleading with the person giving the scores as if they could change it.lol

Fwiw, we were cheering our heads off for Jedward in Bean Mansion