Public broadcaster Kan says Israeli President Herzog has requested changes to the tune for political content material.
Israel mentioned it has requested lyricists to evaluation the nation's Eurovision Track Contest entries, probably averting a dispute with organizers over political content material.
In an announcement on Sunday, Israeli public broadcaster Kan mentioned President Isaac Herzog had requested “mandatory changes” to make sure Israel's inclusion within the occasion, which it has received 4 occasions.
The authorities final week mentioned that Israel couldn’t take part on this yr's version of the competitors, which will likely be held in Sweden in Might, if the organizers reject the tune chosen to characterize the nation. Eurovision guidelines prohibit political content material.
The tune chosen as Israel's entry to the competition – October Rain – refers back to the victims of the October 7 Hamas assaults in southern Israel that triggered the continuing warfare in Gaza.
The Israeli broadcaster “contacted the lyricists of the 2 chosen songs, 'October Rain' which was chosen in first place and 'Dance Without end' which got here in second, and requested them to re-adapt the lyrics, bringing their inventive freedom”. , the assertion mentioned.
“Among the many new texts that will likely be proposed, Kan will select the tune that will likely be despatched to the Eurovision supervisory committee, with the intention to approve Israel's participation within the competitors.”
The chosen tune, which will likely be carried out by 20-year-old Russian-Israeli singer Eden Golan, will likely be revealed on March 10, the assertion mentioned.
A line from the unique October Rain tune reads, “They have been all good children, each one in every of them.”
“There's no extra air to breathe, there's no place for me,” the tune ends, based on Kan, who posted the tune on his web site.
Israel grew to become the primary non-European nation to enter Eurovision in 1973, and its participation and internet hosting of the occasion are repeatedly controversial.
In 2019, the Icelandic band Hatari, who beforehand challenged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a Nordic people wrestling match, made pro-Palestinian statements through the counting of votes in Tel Aviv.
Organizers additionally handed over American pop icon Madonna after her dancers broke political neutrality guidelines by carrying Israeli and Palestinian flags on their costumes.
This yr's competitors comes in opposition to the backdrop of the warfare, sparked by the Hamas assault that resulted within the deaths of 1,139 folks in Israel.
Hamas fighters additionally took about 250 prisoners, with 130 nonetheless being held in Gaza, though 31 are believed to have died, based on Israeli officers.
Israel's army response has killed no less than 30,410 folks in Gaza, based on the Ministry of Well being within the Hamas territory.
After organizers banned October Rain final week for violating guidelines on political neutrality, Kan insisted he “had no intention of changing the tune,” and threatened to withdraw from the competitors.
However Herzog “emphasised that it’s exactly at a time when those that hate us are attempting to suppress and boycott the State of Israel” that the nation “should elevate its voice … loud and clear in each world discussion board”, the assertion Kan on Sunday mentioned.
Final month, Eurovision organizer the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) rejected requires Israel to be barred from getting into the competitors due to its bombing of Gaza.
