It is highly unlikely that Israel will win this year’s Eurovision contest. The reason is obvious to anyone who passively consumes news. Israel is not a friendly country right now. The war in Gaza has had a negative impact on the country’s popularity, with much of the world claiming that Gaza is committing “genocide” against Palestinians.
Without going into the unwarrantedness of that statement or the history and nuances of the very complex geopolitical conflict currently underway, what is clear is that the biggest source of consternation regarding Israel’s participation in Eurovision this year is It’s the song, especially the lyrics.
Written by Keren Perez and Avi Ohayon, two of Israel’s most widely known songwriters, and sung by Russian immigrant and teen pop star Eden Golan, “October Rain” explores the October 7 massacre and its aftermath. makes several mentions of the Gaza War. .
Immediately after the lyrics were published, Eurovision organizers banned the song for violating their rules on political neutrality, noting that Eurovision is a “non-political event”. This is a humorous and ironic accusation, given the history of the contest. Israel should be allowed to say, or rather sing, the song.
Eurovision songs are known to contain both subtle and not-so-subtle political messages. Greece’s 1976 song directly lamented Turkey’s 1974 invasion of Cyprus, even making references to refugee camps and the napalm bombing of the Mediterranean island in the 1960s.
The Ukrainian entry “Razom Nas Bahato” by Green Jolly 2005 was the anthem of the 2004 “Orange Revolution”. An excerpt of the lyrics reveals that the song is not only political, but even calls for revolution. We can’t stand this (no!), the revolution has begun! ” In 2023, the Ukrainian entry “Heart of Steel” mentioned the Battle of Azovstal Iron Works in early 2022.
It seems misguided and nonsensical to disqualify Israeli songs because they poetically allude to the terrible events that redefined Israel.
Israeli broadcaster Kan 11 initially promised not to change the lyrics, but President Isaac Herzog called for “necessary adjustments” to allow Israel to participate in the program. In response to the president’s plea, Kang said he contacted the lyricists and asked them to “alter the lyrics while maintaining artistic freedom.”
Eurovision song renamed ‘Hurricane’
The song has been renamed “Hurricane,” and some of the lyrics have been changed so that, unlike the original version, which embodies a national crisis and existential war, the new song is about a young woman rising from a personal crisis. It was done.
How ingenious, right? The new word also did away with a line referring to “flower,” a word used by Israelis to allude to fallen soldiers. Similarly, the words “never again,” a term often associated with the Holocaust, have been removed.
Even these changes were not enough. Even after writing the new text, the authors of Israel’s Eurovision entry were twice asked to change parts of the text over concerns it could be interpreted as political. Once again, the Israelis agreed and the song received the official Eurovision seal of approval.
Ofri Gofer, chairman of the Israeli committee in charge of selecting songs for Eurovision, said: “With Eden Golan’s powerful melody and powerful performance, I am confident that Europe and the world will not be left indifferent to this song.” Stated. ” The irony here is that regardless of whether the song is political or not, it will almost certainly garner a political response.
What was once a moving and meaningful hymn has become something else. At least the melody remains the same.
The last time Eurovision was held during wartime was in May 2021, and Israel placed 17th. Israel likely won’t win this year, even with the changed version of the song, but one thing is for sure: Even if expectations for the top ranking aren’t high, my kids will still be able to play at 1 a.m. It means that he will stay up until then to watch the game.
The author is a senior policy advisor for the American Israel Education Association.he is based in israel
