Song too political?

Report: Israel now threatened with exclusion from song contest

(Bild: niyazz - stock.adobe.com)

Despite calls for a boycott and massive criticism of the Gaza war, the organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest have so far assured that Israel will not be prevented from participating. But now things could turn out differently.

According to Israeli media reports, the song "October Rain" by singer Eden Golan, which is said to refer to the massacre by the Islamist Hamas in Israel on October 7, has been classified as too political. However, the song has not yet been officially presented. However, according to a report by the news website "Ynet", the Israeli public broadcaster Kan insists that the lyrics of the song will not be changed, even if this should cost Israel its participation. 

The ESC organizers had previously spoken out against the exclusion of Israel, which Swedish artists, for example, had demanded because of the Gaza war. According to them, the event should remain apolitical.

Final takes place in Sweden
The ESC final will take place in Malmö on May 11. The 68th edition will take place in Sweden this year, after singer Loreen won last year's competition in Liverpool with the song "Tattoo" for the Scandinavian country. The EBU published a list of 37 participating broadcasters at the beginning of December - including Kan from Israel.