Israel’s proposed Eurovision song is getting a rewrite.
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President Isaac Herzog has asked for a change to the lyrics of Israel’s proposed Eurovision song. Herzog hopes to avoid a potential dispute with the contest’s organizers.
Eurovision rules explicitly ban political content. Israeli authorities said that the country could not participate in this year’s competition if the organizers disallowed their chosen song.
The openness to revision wasn’t the country’s first response. Israel threatened to withdraw from the contest after Eurovision’s organizers rejected “October Rain” for breaking its rules of political neutrality.
Israel’s public broadcaster Kan initially said it had “no intention to replace the song.”
The Sunday statement included a quote from President Herzog, who emphasized “that it is precisely at a time when those who hate us are seeking to repress and boycott the State of Israel” that the country “must raise its voice […] loud and clear in every world forum.”
This May, Sweden’s Malmo Arena will host the event. (Swedish singer Loreen won last year’s Eurovision).
October Rain
“October Rain” alludes to the victims of the Hamas October 7 attacks on southern Israel. More than 1,000 people died, and Hamas fighters took around 250 hostages—including women and children.
The original lyrics to “October Rain” contained the following lyrics:
They were all good children, every one of them.
Countries will compete in this year’s Eurovision under the backdrop of war. The Hamas attacks on Israel triggered a bloody response in Gaza that has quickly descended into a humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations. U.N. experts also warn that Gaza is close to famine. Furthermore, Gaza’s health ministry reported that the number of Palestinians killed in the war now exceeds 30,000.
Kamala Harris Calls for Cease-Fire
On Sunday, the New York Times reported that U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris called for an “immediate cease-fire” in Gaza. Ms. Harris said that Hamas should agree to the proposed six-week pause and urged Israel to increase the flow of aid into the enclave.
Pending revisions, Kan will reveal their decision on March 10 before sending it to Eurovision’s supervisory committee. Eden Golan, a 20-year-old Russian-Israeli singer, is scheduled to perform.
Past Controversy
In 1973, Israel became the first non-European country to participate in Eurovision, and its involvement has frequently met with controversy.
During the 2019 Eurovision hosted in Tel Aviv, the Icelandic band Hatari protested Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, making pro-Palestinian remarks during vote counting. Hatari also challenged the prime minister to a Nordic wrestling match.
Madonna further angered organizers in 2019 when her dancers appeared wearing Israeli and Palestinian flags. Her dancers, wearing gas masks, then fell to the ground.
International Protests
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU)—Eurovision’s organizer—has rejected calls from more than 20 politicians to ban Israel from this year’s event because of its attacks on Gaza.
Members of the European Parliament said Israel’s involvement in Eurovision “whitewashes a regime that is carrying out ethnic cleansing in Palestine and committing war crimes and genocide.”
Acknowledging the EBU’s wish to remain non-political, the politicians signing the protest letter also pointed out that Eurovision did veto Russia’s participation in the contest (from 2022) in response to its invasion of Ukraine.
Artists in Sweden and Finland joined protesters in Norway and Ireland in sending letters to the EBU against Israel’s participation. Iceland is debating whether or not to enter if Israel participates.
Global music fans are threatening to boycott the upcoming event by turning off their TV screens should Israel be allowed to join this year’s Eurovision.
“October Rain” ends with the following line: There is no air left to breathe, there is no place for me.
(Image @EurovisionNewZ on X)
