- Written by Mark Savage and Sofia Ferreira Santos
- BBC News
Image source, Franco tea
Eden Golan will represent Israel in this year's competition
Israel will be allowed to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 after changing the lyrics of its song, organizers have confirmed.
Eden Golan will represent the country in the competition that will be held in Sweden next May.
Her original song, “October Rain”, is believed to be a reference to the Hamas attacks on October 7, and was banned for violating political neutrality rules.
The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation has agreed to edit the song, which is now titled “Hurricane,” and will reveal it this weekend.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) – which organizes the competition – said in a statement earlier: “The European Union can confirm that the official submission submitted by its Israeli member Kan is considered eligible to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest in May.”
“The competition’s reference group, and its board of directors, have made the decision to accept the song “Hurricane” into the upcoming competition after careful scrutiny of the lyrics.
It was agreed that “The Hurricane” must meet the necessary criteria to participate in accordance with the rules of the competition.”
The Israeli broadcaster Kan had previously pledged not to change the song's lyrics, but President Isaac Herzog later called for “necessary amendments” to ensure Israel's participation in the competition.
The lines included “They were all good kids, every one of them” and “Who told you that boys don't cry / Hours and hours / And flowers / Life's no game for cowards.”
On Wednesday, the French-speaking Belgian Minister of Culture, Benedict Lenard, called for preventing Israel from participating in the Eurovision contest as long as the war in Gaza continues.
“Just as Russia was excluded from competitions and the Eurovision Contest after its invasion of Ukraine, Israel must be excluded until it puts an end to its flagrant violations of international law, which cause thousands of victims, especially children,” she wrote on the
Israel insists that its ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza is being carried out in line with international law. Its military has repeatedly said it is doing everything it can to try to avoid harming civilians.
Lenard also told parliament on Wednesday that she would ask public broadcaster RTBF, which regulates Belgium's entry into Eurovision, to express its concerns to the European Broadcasting Union.
Her Flemish counterpart, Benjamin Daly, said the Israeli comment would be appropriate at a time when many Palestinian civilians are suffering, according to a report by Flemish broadcaster VRT.
Musicians in several countries demanded that Israel be suspended from the competition.
In Finland, a petition signed by more than 1,400 music industry professionals accused national broadcaster Yle of double standards, saying it was among the first to call for a ban on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Shortly after, the European Broadcasting Union banned Russia from participating.
Before being selected to represent the UK, Olly Alexander also supported a statement accusing Israel of genocide.
An Israeli official later told Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper that the arguments were “ridiculous” and accused Alexander and his fellow signatories of “anti-Israel bias.”
Israel has won the Eurovision Song Contest four times before.
Its military forces launched an air and ground campaign in Gaza after Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 253 others were taken hostage.
The Hamas-run Health Ministry in the Strip says more than 30,800 people have been killed in Gaza since then.
