The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organizing body of the Eurovision Song Contest, has objected to the lyrics of the second song that Israel proposes for this year’s festival, Dance forever, after the first song was already rejected for allusions. policies. The first song that the Israeli representative, Eden Golan, was to perform, a ballad titled October rain, included references to the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7, triggering the current Israeli military offensive in Gaza.
As revealed by the Israeli news portal Ynet, the second song, titled Dance forever, contains apparent allusions to the massacre perpetrated by Hamas at the Supernova music festival, where terrorists killed 364 young people and kidnapped dozens, which They were taken to Gaza. The lyrics include verses such as: “Watch me fly away / Oh dance like an angel / Oh, you will remember / That I will dance forever / I will dance again / Oh, dance like an angel” like an angel / Oh, you will remember / That I will dance forever / I will dance again / Oh, dance like an angel).
The EBU has also rejected this letter due to political allusions, says Ynet citing sources from the Israeli Foreign Ministry. The Israeli public radio and television station, KAN, has until March 11 – like the rest of the participating radio and television stations – for the official acceptance of its songs for this year’s edition, which will be held in Malmö (Sweden) with three galas between the 7th and on May 11.
Israel’s participation divides the artists and followers of the veteran contest. Musicians from several countries, especially a thousand in host Sweden and others from Nordic countries such as Finland, have called for their exclusion. On the other hand, more than 400 creators from the entertainment industry signed a letter of support for Israel’s presence at Eurovision this year, including actress Helen Mirren, musician Gene Simmons and singer Boy George.
Until now, the EBU has insisted that Israel will participate because the festival “is a contest for television, not governments,” and because it is “an apolitical event.” But if the lyrics to be sung by Eden Golan violated that rule, the song would not be admitted, and if the fight between Israel and Eurovision continues, the country runs the risk of being disqualified. The KAN corporation even said that it had “no intention of replacing” the song October rain, and that “if it is not approved by the EBU, Israel will not be able to participate in the contest,” but has finally proposed a second song.
The country’s president, Isaac Herzog, said recently in Jerusalem that he intends to help ensure that Israel competes. “I think it is important that Israel appears in Eurovision because it is a stage with hundreds of millions of viewers, and that is also a statement because there are enemies who try to expel us from all stages,” said Herzog. “It is good that there is a dialogue between KAN and the EBU, it is important; We need to have dialogue and more dialogue, we must be intelligent, not simply be right,” the president stated.
In the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, about 1,300 Israelis were killed, most of them civilians, and about 240 were taken hostage, according to official data from the Government of Israel. The Israeli military response has led to the deaths of 30,000 Palestinians, many of them civilians, and most of them women and children, according to figures from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health.
