Yahoo News Eurovision Confirms Israel Will Compete In 2024 After Controversy Over Original Song's Lyrics
Eurovision bosses have confirmed that Israel will be competing in this year’s contest after all.
Organisers previously faced pressure to drop Israel from the competition due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which they refused to do, releasing a statement insisting that Eurovision is a “competition for broadcasters – not for governments”.
More recently, it was reported that Eurovision bosses had taken issue with Israel’s submitted song due to its supposedly “political” lyrics, with the country’s national broadcaster Kan saying they would rather withdraw from the competition than change the song.
However, it seems that the Israeli delegation had a change of heart, as it was confirmed on Thursday evening that Eden Golan will be representing Israel in Malmö this May, with a rewritten version of her original song, now titled Hurricane, after being changed from October Rain.
Eden Golan has won 'HaKokhav HaBa' and will represent Israel at #Eurovision2024 🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/hwi2KWFHtg
— Eurovision Song Contest (@Eurovision) February 6, 2024
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) told BBC News: “The Contest’s Reference Group, its governing board, made the decision to accept the song Hurricane for the upcoming competition after careful scrutiny of the lyrics.
“It was agreed that Hurricane met the necessary criteria for participation in accordance with the rules of the competition.”
Russian-Israeli singer Eden Golan was selected as the Israeli representative last month. The 20-year-old previously represented Russia at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest back in 2015.
The UK will be represented at Eurovision 2024 by former Years & Years singer and It’s A Sin actor Olly Alexander, who unveiled his competing song Dizzy last week.
Eurovision will be held in Malmö, Sweden this May, following Loreen’s historic victory for Sweden in 2023.