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The growing controversy over Israel’s Eurovision song entry (www.semafor.com)

submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

71 comments fedilink hide all child comments

They couldn't resist breaking the rules lmao, but face no consequences, besides being mad about it

Israel has threatened to withdraw from this year’s Eurovision Song Contest if organizers decide to reject its entry amid wider calls for the country’s exclusion over its military campaign in Gaza.

The European Broadcasting Union is currently reviewing the lyrics of Israel’s entry, a song called “October Rain” by Russian-Israeli singer Eden Golan, which is thought to reference the victims of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks. If the EBU decides Israel has breached its rules by submitting content deemed political, the body will allow it to submit new lyrics or a new song.

Israel’s Public Broadcasting Corporation earlier said it has “no intention to replace the song” if it is not approved, warning that it will pull out of the contest scheduled for May in Malmö, Sweden. Israel’s culture minister has stated that while the song reflects “the current public sentiment in Israel these days,” that doesn’t make it “a political song.”

Israel became the first non-European nation to compete in Eurovision in 1973, and has since won the competition four times.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Why is Israel considered part of Europe?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 8 months ago

It's not. Even Australia is in Eurovision

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

The source itself makes me angry for purposely misspelling ‘semaphore’.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

What if... Imagine one second... That semaphore.com was taken? Just a wild though I know

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

It’s my personal bugbear when perfectly good words are misspelled purposely.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Why do they care? Eurovision voting is heavily politicised, which is clear to see when you look at the UK getting continuously pounded during times where it did things Europe disliked (war in Iraq, Brexit), and Ukraine winning during the war, with the UK suddenly doing well again. If Israel send someone, they're going to spend several hours waiting around while they receive nil point.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 8 months ago

While Brexit definitely didn't help, the UK entry was objectively really bad that year.

[–] [email protected] 42 points 8 months ago (3 children)

Call me cynical, but I reckon they fully expect to get booted from the show and are intentionally milking the situation for propaganda purposes back home.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

This is a pretty common take in Eurovision discussion boards atm.

EBU doesn't want the controversy of taking a stance on the I/P conflict, but most Eurovision fans are pro-Palestine and a lot are threatening to boycott if Israel does compete. And KAN (which is in charge of Israel's entry) obv doesn't want the humiliation of a guaranteed last place and potential harassment/security issues for the musician they send. Giving Israel the boot over the song (which, if you read the lyrics, is actually pretty subtle on what it's referencing) is a win-win for everyone involved.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 8 months ago

To many, even valid criticism on reality itself can be labeled as anti-semetic if it can quiet any valid criticism on anything they want.

I agree. It is a win-win. They stay, they get what they what, plus free victimhood PR... if they get kicked out, is not because they broke the rules, it is just because blatant antisemitism. They will twist it into victimhood PR, anyways. Prove me wrong.

Staying withing guidelines was never an option.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

IDK nothing indicated they would be booted, they pretty prominently announced they wouldn't be restricting Israel from competing, to much controversy at that

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

How lazy must the song writing be for the Eurovision people to think it's too political? You can absolutely hide political messages in the lyrics, in a song about love, sex partying, etc, and the vast majority of people will not notice. Quite a few bands have made careers out of doing exactly that. I mean just from the song title, you know that they are going to be very heavy handed with it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

Eurovision is a pantomime. D list celebs and cheesy songs.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Wow, thanks for kicking yourself out, guys. Now we don't have to worry about the weird vibes when you're up and get booed.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 8 months ago

"You're not breaking up with me, I'm breaking up with you" vibes, it's pathetic

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