Graham Linehan condemns RTÉ's Eurovision boycott as antisemitic

Ireland's public broadcaster RTÉ chose not to air the Eurovision Song Contest final after Israel qualified to compete, opting instead to show an episode of the sitcom Father Ted. Co‑creator Graham Linehan publicly criticized the decision, calling RTÉ’s move "disgraceful antisemitism" and saying the broadcaster was "poisoning Irish public life" with institutional antisemitism.

Linehan said he had not given permission for Father Ted to be used as a political prop, launched an online petition demanding the resignation of RTÉ Director‑General Kevin Bakhurst, and denounced what he described as a boycott of Israel that aligns Ireland with other countries such as Spain, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands that have taken similar actions. The controversy follows Ireland’s recent recognition of a Palestinian state and its support for a South African case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.