“October rain” gave way to “Hurricane” (the hurricane).

After several weeks of controversy, Eurovision organizers have finally validated Israel's participation in the edition organized in May in Sweden.

"The EBU, the European Broadcasting Union, today informed the Israeli Broadcasting Company KAN that the song 'Hurricane', performed by Eden Golan, has been approved and that Israel will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest song as planned,” the Israeli Broadcasting Company (KAN) said in a statement on Thursday March 7.

“The decision was taken by the Eurovision Song Contest Supervisory Committee, after discussing the lyrics of the song (...) and after listening to its performance,” added the public group.

The song and its video clip were officially presented on national television on Sunday by Eden Golan, its 20-year-old singer. 

"The October Rain"

The Israeli delegation had previously proposed two songs – “October Rain”, then “Dancing Forever”.

The two titles were rejected by the organizers because they were considered contrary to the regulations which prohibit any political message in the pieces presented during this pan-European show.

"October Rain", the song initially chosen by Israel, did not explicitly mention the bloody attack carried out by Hamas on October 7 in southern Israel.

But according to Israeli media and observers, his words left no room for doubt.

“Dancing in the storm / We've got nothing to hide / Take me home / And leave the world behind / And I promise it'll never happen again / I'm still wet from this October rain / October rain,” said a verse of this song.

As the BBC explains, KAN initially refused to change the lyrics, believing that it preferred to withdraw from the competition.

But according to the British media, Israeli President Isaac Herzog personally requested "necessary adjustments" to allow his country to participate in Eurovision.

“The President stressed that in this special time, when those who hate us seek to sideline and boycott the State of Israel, our country must raise its voice with pride with its head held high and raise its flag in every forum in the world especially this year,” explained the Israeli broadcasting company, quoted by the BBC.

Also read: Israel threatened with disqualification from Eurovision for a song about the October 7 attacks

“I can speak to the world through song”

New song "Hurricane" features music from "October Rain" and features new lyrics: "Every day I'm losing my mind. I'm holding on in this mysterious ride. I'm dancing in the storm, I have nothing to hide. (…) Darling, promise me that you will hug me again. I am still broken by this hurricane."

Questioned about this controversy by Times of Israel, singer Eden Golan admitted that she “found herself in a year that was not easy.”

"But on the other hand, I want to represent my country even more during this time. It has a totally different meaning," she added.

“I can present what we are feeling and what the country is going through in these three minutes. I can speak to the world through song,” she insisted. 

Several countries have called for Israel to be banned from Eurovision to protest against the heavy toll of the war in Gaza, triggered after the Hamas attack which resulted in the deaths of at least 1,160 people, according to an AFP count made from official Israeli data.

Israeli military operations carried out in retaliation in the Palestinian territory have left 30,800 dead so far, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health.

Israel was the first non-European country to be allowed to participate in the Eurovision song contest in 1973, and has won four times, including with transgender singer Dana International in 1998.

With AFP

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