Israel’s public broadcaster has decided to request changes to the lyrics of a song that was being considered for this year’s Eurovision competition. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) had initially considered banning the song due to concerns about political neutrality in the lyrics. The song, titled October Rain by artist Eden Golan, was thought to contain references to a recent attack on Israel by Hamas.
Despite initially stating that they would not request any changes to the lyrics, Israeli broadcaster Kan has now announced that they will be asking the lyricists to make adjustments to the song. This decision comes after Israel’s President Isaac Herzog called for the necessary changes to ensure that the country can participate in Eurovision.
Kan has stated that they have asked the lyricists of both songs under consideration to revise the texts while still maintaining their artistic freedom. They are also looking into another song called Dance Forever as a potential entry for Eurovision.
President Herzog emphasized the importance of Israel being able to participate in international events and speak out against those who seek to undermine the country. A final decision on which song will represent Israel at Eurovision will be made next Sunday.
The original lyrics of October Rain, written in English, contain lines that have been interpreted as references to war fatalities. Political messages in songs have led to disqualifications in the past, such as Georgia’s entry in 2009.
Some artists have called for Israel to be excluded from Eurovision this year due to concerns about their treatment of Gaza. However, Eurovision organizers have stated that the situations in Ukraine and Gaza are different.
Israel has won Eurovision four times in the past. This year’s event will take place in Sweden in May.
