I’d previously assumed that the logo that showed up on the title screens for Moroccanoil was just another state owned oil company putting sponsorship money into random things, but the haircare ad at the end of yesterday’s broadcast let me to do some investigating.
It turns out Moroccanoil is an Israeli company and I haven’t seen many people talking about the potential conflict of interest here that might explain the EBU’s shady behaviour this year.
I did find this article about them from 2015 which links to a video of sales reps from the company partying in what “may be” the occupied west bank. They also do appear on various BDS lists.
There is also this article from The Sun which does connect this to Eurovision this year, but it’s from the sun so honestly that just makes the whole thing seem less credible.
Given the lack of information that I’ve found, I’m wondering what people here think? Do you know anything else about this? Do you think the EBU’s actions are related to this sponsorship? Do we even care because their behaviour was shitty whether their motivation was from the sponsorship or more directly political?
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Eurovision lacked funding some years back and sold out. Whatever it is now, it ain’t what it started as.
Do you think the EBU’s actions are related to this sponsorship?
Undoubtedly, yes. Otherwise they would have been more transparent about it / never taken the sponsorship in the first place.
I believe the EBU when they say they’re not a political organisation / competition. I also believe that they don’t give two shits about human rights violations one of their members is committing because the money is too good. They’re not concerned with politics, they’re concerned with money.
And that’s not a reflection on the EBU, that’s a reflection on Europe and European attitudes in general. There might be some outrage here or there and a few protests but ultimately Europeans don’t give a shit. Same with the US. Weapons and money are still funneled into Israel and this won’t stop. Illegally seized land is still illegally seized and it won’t be returned. UN mandates are still ignored and they won’t be respected. Palestinian children will still be bombed by Israel on the off chance they might grow up and potentially join Hamas and that won’t stop.
Where can I find actual information on Moroccanoil being an Israeli company? I have heard this claim from BDS but not from an actual business registrar or a similar verified source.
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A listing in Companies House in the UK, with an Israeli address for their UK subsidiary
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An article in the Jerusalem post boasting about them being an Israeli company
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A CNN video, which doesn’t play for me, but the title has the information you’re asking for
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It looks like the brand is owned by Moroccanoil Israel Ltd, according to this source: https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.moroccanoil_israel_ltd.e4e53c2d6638312e6f0b70c68a8cf55e.html#:~:text=MOROCCANOIL ISRAEL LTD is located,and Druggists’%20Sundries%20Merchant%20Wholesalers
The story on the About page of the article lists only one co-founder, Carmen Tal, who lives in Canada and bought the original business to sell their products outside of Israel. She says in several interviews that she found the products while visiting or living in Tel Aviv, examples listed here:
https://www.salonmagazine.ca/business-a-chat-with-moroccanoil-co-founder-carmen-tal/
https://venturesafrica.com/mining-liquid-gold-carmen-tal-ceo-moroccanoil/
So the company is originally Israeli, only sells to certain countries and no countries besides Israel in the Middle East (as listed on their webpage, as Israel is literally the only country they list under the Middle East section), and is still registered as being in Israel as far as I can see. They do seem to have gone to great lengths to try to hide that fact on their About page though, which I find odd.
As a Eurovision fan from Morocco, I have to say this:
This company is garbage. Also, keep dreaming about our return to the contest because it’s not happening within the next eon.
do you think a morrocan artist could get in?
Pretty sure that’s possible. Quite a few Eurovision participants are of Moroccan origin/heritage. One of them happened to win it twice too. You might’ve heard of her.
However, when it comes to actually representing Morocco, it’s quite difficult since the country won’t ever return, likely due to LGBT visibility (I am queer myself so…).
