Eurovision candidate asked by Israel to change controversial political lyrics

Israeli President, Isaac Herzog, has requested that the 20-year-old Russian-Israeli singer Eden Golan make changes to her country's Eurovision Song Contest entry, 'October Rain'. This was because the song was deemed to contain apparent references to the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organisers of the popular contest, had previously hinted that it might reject Israel’s candidate because of her song’s "political" nature.

The song in question, 'October Rain', made references to the victims of Hamas' October 7th 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."

This is an apparent reference to Hamas’s October 7th attack which saw 1,200 people killed after the border with Gaza was breached.

Last week, authorities said that they would not allow Israel to be able to participate in this year's Eurovision Song Contest if they did not obey political neutrality rules.

The lyrics of the artist's alternative song, 'Dance Forever' are also being rejected due to what the broadcaster says are references to the Nova Music festival - one of the deadly sites of Hamas' attack on October 7th.

"The president emphasised that at this time in particular, when those who hate us seek to push aside and boycott the state of Israel from every stage, Israel must sound its voice with pride and its head high and raise its flag in every world forum, especially this year," said the national broadcaster, Kan.

In the same statement, the Israeli broadcaster said it had gotten in touch with Golan, as well as the second-place contestant, 'Dance Forever', to rewrite their lyrics, before a decision will be made over which song to send to the Eurovision committee.

After the two song proposals were refused, deemed too political, and violated political neutrality rules, Israel has agreed on a compromise in order to take part in Eurovision this coming May.

Many fans plan to boycott the contest this year as a form of protest against Israel competing amid a skyrocketing civilian death toll in Gaza.

Nobody wants Israel there you racist double standard fucks https://t.co/tinkyd3Enb

— Tiberius (@ecomarxi) February 9, 2024

Some political messages in the past have also led to songs being banned from Eurovision, such as Georgia’s 2009 entry. 'We Don't Wanna Put In' was the song, written by Stephane Mgebrishvili and Bibi Kvachadze.

The song was entered and subsequently rejected by the EBU for perceived political references to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Artists have petitioned for Israel to be excluded from Eurovision this year over its treatment of Gaza. These include artists in Iceland, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, with many pointing out that Russia was disqualified since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago.

Eurovision organisers claim that the situations in Ukraine and Gaza are different.

Israel has won Eurovision four times. This year’s event will be held in Sweden in May.