Will Israel be able to participate in the 68th Eurovision Song Contest?
It’s looking dicey, as the country faces disqualification over the rumoured disqualification of their first selected song entry and its runner-up.
Last week, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the body that organises the famous contest, hinted that it might reject Israel’s candidate, 20-year-old Russian-Israeli singer Eden Golan, because of her song’s "political" nature.
The song in question, 'October Rain', made references to the victims of Hamas' 7 October attack on southern Israel, with lyrics like: “ There’s no air left to breathe / There is no place for me” and “They were all good children, each one of them ”.
The song also refers to “flowers”, which is often used as military code for war fatalities.
"Dancing in the storm / We've got nothing to hide", sings Eden Golan. "Take me home / And leave the world behind / And I promise this will never happen again / I'm still wet from this October rain / October rain".
Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar took offence at the suggestion that the lyrics were political. The song is "moving" and "expresses the feelings of the people and the country these days, and is not political", he wrote on social networks.
"I call on the European Broadcasting Union to continue to act professionally and neutrally, and not to let politics affect art," he added.
Now, according to information from Israeli news website YNET, the EBU has also reportedly rejected the second submitted song, 'Dance Forever'.
Quoting unnamed sources within the Foreign Ministry, the outlet has reported that “the alternative option has also been ruled out.”
'Dance Forever' finished second behind 'October Rain' in the vote of the special juries, and is the country’s alternative song for Eden Golan. The lyrics are in English except for a few sentences in Hebrew.
YNET published the lyrics of the song, but they did not explain the reasons behind the rumoured disqualification.
One possible reason could be that ‘Dance Forever’ refers to the Hamas attack on the Nova Music festival on 7 October in which 364 people were killed.
Here are the lyrics to 'Dance Forever':
My mind hidingI don’t know what’s rightTake me to the right roadThere’s no more time and I can’t go wrongBreath inI know that I’m strongI brake all the chainsI’m on the edge nowWatch me fly awayOh dance like an angelOh you will rememberThat I will dance foreverI will dance againOh dance like an angelDrowning in the sunriseMy heart is so cold, but my soul is on fireSomeone is calling from paradiseThe hope doesn’t stop, it just spreads its wingsIt is like a million stars that suddenly light up in the skyHeart on fire I’m a fighterDon’t stop the musicTurn it up louderI spread out me wingsFlying through the sky hear violinsAngels don’t cryThey only singStill feel the groundBeneath my feet
The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) previously made it known that it had "no intention of replacing" the song ‘October Rain’.
"If it is not approved by the EBU, Israel will not be able to take part in the competition", it even threatened.
At a conference last weekend in Jerusalem, Israeli president Isaac Herzog called for an "intelligent" dialogue between the EBU and KAN to allow his country to take part in Eurovision.
“I think it’s important for Israel to appear in Eurovision, and this is also a statement because there are haters who try to drive us off every stage,” Herzog said.
The EBU previously rejected calls for Israel to be barred from competing altogether because of the war in Gaza. The organizers were criticized for excluding Russia for its war in Ukraine, but including Israel, which is accused of carrying out genocide in Gaza.
Opinions remain divided. There have been calls for a boycott of the competition in several countries, including Finland, Iceland and Sweden. Elsewhere, more than 400 creatives from the entertainment industry have signed a letter in support of Israel’s inclusion in this year’s Eurovision, including Helen Mirren, Gene Simmons and Boy George.
Israel has until 11 March to submit a song that complies with the Eurovision rules.
The Eurovision 2024 final will be held in Malmö, Sweden, following the victory of singer Loreen last year.
