Israel requests to change the lyrics to its controversial Eurovision entry

nme.com:

Eurovision Song Contest. The country’s preferred option for the contest is ‘October Rain’ by the 20-year-old Eden Golan. The song’s lyrics appear to contain references to the victims of Hamas’ October 7 attacks. “They were all good children, each one of them”, she sings in the track.

The song also alludes to “flowers”, which has been noted as a potential reference to war fatalities. In response, the European Broadcast Union (EBU), which organises the contest, had initially said it was “currently in the process of scrutinising the lyrics, a process which is confidential between the EBU and the broadcaster until a final decision has been taken.

If a song is deemed unacceptable for any reason, broadcasters are then given the opportunity to submit a new song or new lyrics.” The Israeli broadcaster KAN initially said that they would withdraw from this year’s competition if the event’s organisers attempted to censor their entry.

That intervention was later followed by the country’s president Isaac Herzog, who said that Israel’s voice must be heard from the Eurovision stage. “I think it’s important for Israel to appear in Eurovision, and this is also a statement because there are haters who try to drive us off every stage,” he said. “Being smart is not just being right,” he added.