Israel faces being DISQUALIFIED from Eurovision Song Contest after two songs are rejected by organisers for being ‘too political’
Israel could face disqualification from the Eurovision Song Contest after two proposed songs were reportedly rejected due to their ‘political nature’.
Rumor has it that the songs titled ‘October Rain’ and the runner-up ‘Dance Forever’ were rejected by the competition, giving the country until March 11 to submit a song that complies with the rules.
Last week, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the body responsible for the contest, hinted that they might reject the Israeli candidate. Euro news reports.
Their proposed contender was 20-year-old Russian-Israeli singer Eden Golan, who hoped to sing “October Rain.”
However, the ‘political’ nature of the song may have led to its exclusion from the famous competition, as it would violate impartiality rules.
Their proposed candidate was 20-year-old Russian-Israeli singer Eden Golan (above), who hoped to sing “October Rain.”
The song is said to refer to the victims of Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on October 7.
Some lyrics read: “There’s no more air to breathe / There’s no room for me / They were all good kids, every one of them.”
“Dancing in the storm / We have nothing to hide / 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,” Golan sings.
The song also refers to “flowers,” which are sometimes used as a military code for war dead.
As a non-political event, the Eurovision Song Contest can disqualify participants who are deemed to have violated strict impartiality rules.
All songs submitted will be checked by the EBU before the competition to ensure they comply with the rules.
However, top Israeli officials and public figures have said that any attempt to sanction the ballad would be “outrageous.” Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar complained on social media about the reports of extra checks on Israel’s entry.
“The Song of Israel, which will be sung by Eden Golan, is a moving song that expresses the feelings of the people and the country of our times, and is not political,” he wrote.
Israel could face disqualification from the Eurovision Song Contest after two proposed songs were reportedly rejected due to their ‘political nature’
‘Dance Forever’ finished second after ‘October Rain’ in the special jury vote, making it the alternative song for Golan
‘The EBU’s intention to disqualify the Israeli song from the Eurovision Song Contest – outrageous.’ Israeli-British illusionist Uri Geller also responded, saying: ‘For God’s sake, Ukraine’s (Kalush Orchestra) winning entry in 2022 was about the resilience of the Ukrainian people, so what’s the problem? It’s obviously a different rule because it concerns Israel.”
An EBU spokesperson said it was “scrutinizing the texts”, adding: “All broadcasters have until March 11 to formally submit their submissions. If a song is deemed unacceptable, broadcasters will be given the opportunity to submit a new song or lyrics.” The final is on May 11.
When it comes to “Dance Forever,” Israel’s second submitted song, its acceptance is also reportedly up in the air for similar reasons.
Israeli news website YNET reported that the EBU has reportedly rejected the song, citing an unnamed source within the Foreign Ministry.
The source reportedly said: ‘The alternative option is also ruled out.’
It comes after ‘Dance Forever’ finished second to ‘October Rain’ in the special jury vote, making it the alternative song for Golan.
YNET published the lyrics of the song but did not check why it was reportedly disqualified.
Euronews reports that one possible reason could be that the ballad refers to the Hamas attack on the Nova music festival on October 7, which killed 364 people.