“This year it’s Israel’s turn to win.” The partly sarcastic message appeared on social networks weeks ago. He was referring to Russia-invaded Ukraine's victory in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, placing Israel in first place in its war with Hamas since October 7. The contest has raised tensions ahead of this year's contest after several campaigns called for a ban on participation by Israel, whose forces have killed more than 29,000 Palestinians in Gaza just as they took over from Russia.
In Sweden, the competition's host country, around 1,000 artists, including pop stars and music competition veterans, signed an open letter against Israel's participation. The same thing happened in Finland (1,400 signatures from artists and activists), Iceland and Norway. On the other hand, 400 members of the entertainment world, including Helen Mirren, have promoted a manifesto in favor of Israel's participation in the music competition.
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At the moment the organizers have not found any reasons to exclude Israel, but the controversy is on the table after it emerged that the song they want to compete with is titled “October Rain”, a direct reference to war, something, that cannot be accepted, is the basis of a competition that is sold as apolitical.
“Kan, the Israeli company, is conducting a dialogue with the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) about the song that will represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest,” limiting itself to providing EL PAÍS a source of the public body without confirming this hide These are difficult times and they won't give interviews about it. “Eurovision in danger,” was the headline of the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth on its front page this Thursday. This and some other media suggest that Israel will not accept changes to the chosen song.
The EBU is currently reviewing the letters, a confidential process between the organization and the network until a final decision is made, say sources at the organizing body that brings together public television broadcasters Hector Llanos Martinez. However, he did not give any details about the specific case of Israel, the subject of which is a ballad to be performed by the singer Edén Golán. These sources add that all networks have until March 11 to formally present their candidacies. Should a song be rejected for any reason, these sources explain, the station will have the opportunity to present a new song or lyric, according to the rules of the competition, which will take place this year from 7 to 11 May.
“The letter that could exclude Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest,” headlines the newspaper Israel Hayom, alluding to the open “dispute” between Kan public television and the EBU. The song, adds this medium, is written for the most part in English, but at the end there are several phrases in Hebrew that no one doubts refer to the war conflict that is sweeping the country after Hamas killed around 1,200 people murdered on Israeli territory on October 7th. It is also not hidden that the term “Flowers” (sung in English) refers to soldiers who died in battle. Israel Hayom does not believe it is possible for the EBU to enforce its criteria if it tries to force Israel to make changes to the letter.
Image of the “Together for Palestine” demonstration in Stockholm on the 17th. Fredrik Persson (EFE/EPA)
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Eurovision has called for these changes, but those in charge of the Israeli public body, supported by Culture Minister Miki Zohar, have decided to continue supporting the current text. “The possibility that Keren Peles [autora de la letra] “I would have written a song for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 that would not have addressed the topic of war, that doesn't exist today,” admits Raz Shechnick in an opinion article in this medium. “If the EBU insists that its demands for the changes be met, Israel will rightly withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest,” he added. Meanwhile, betting is affected by the controversy and uncertainty surrounding possible disqualification. According to TV channel 12, Israel fell from third to seventh place.
Although Israel is not a European country, it has a long tradition in the Eurovision Song Contest. He won for the first time in 1978 with the very famous song A-ba-ni-bi. Since then he has won the competition three more times. The last time was in 2018. Back then, singer Netta Barzilai competed with Toy, a catchy feminist and anti-bullying plea. The controversy came to light in front of more than 200 million viewers when Tel Aviv hosted the competition in 2019. The Hatari Icelanders, known carriers of an anti-Semitic message, showed the world Palestinian flags during the voting, which was also banned.
In a country where everything is steeped in conflict with the Palestinians, war in music is nothing new. Netta herself played Metallica's “Nothing Else Matters” on December 18 at the funeral of drummer Yotam Haim, a 28-year-old Israeli hostage who died in Gaza along with two other kidnapped people. The three were shot down by the Israeli military itself as they advanced with a white flag.
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