This year’s edition of Eurovision is controversial. It’s all because of the decision of the European Broadcasting Union, which announced at the end of last year that Israel would take part in the competition. This news has outraged many fans who believe that the Eurovision organizer is very hypocritical because two years ago he excluded Russia’s participation by attacking Ukraine, and now he is allowing a country to participate in the competition, which is causing the deaths of innocent people in the Gaza Strip.
The lyrics of the Israeli representative’s song referred to Hamas. A few lines have been reworked and Israel is still in the competition
Moreover, Eurovision fans were also outraged by the fact that Eden Golan was the representative of Israel with the song “October Rain”, the lyrics of which, as it quickly turned out, refer to the attacks of Hamas fighters. At that time, Norway, Iceland and Finland threatened to withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest if Golan was not excluded. Even the president of Israel spoke out on the matter and called for changing some of the song’s lines.
The singer must have taken these votes to heart because she managed to remake the song, thanks to which Israel was not excluded from the competition. This caused the emotions of fans from all over the world to reach their peak. The organizer also noticed this and decided to issue a neutral statement in which they tried to calm down Eurovision fans. They ask that the competition participants not be associated with topics related to Israel’s aggression against Palestine.
The European Broadcasting Union recognizes the strong emotions generated by this year’s Eurovision Song Contest and the intense debate sparked by the inclusion of the Israeli entry. We understand that people will want to engage in discussion and express their beliefs on this topic. We have all been touched by the images, stories and unimaginable suffering of those in Israel and Gaza. However, we would like to address the concerns and discussions surrounding this situation, especially the social media campaigns targeting some of the participating artists. (…) While we strongly support freedom of speech and the right to express one’s opinion in a democratic society, we strongly oppose any forms of online violence, hate speech and harassment aimed at artists or others associated with the competition. This is unacceptable and completely unfair as artists have no role in this decision,” reads a statement from the European Broadcasting Union.
The European Broadcasting Union does not see a problem. In May she will have to be especially careful
However, the effect is different from the intended one. Many Internet users are not convinced by the organizer’s translation and continue to demand Israel’s removal from the competition. Under the statement we can read many critical comments, such as: “Then throw Israel out of the competition”, “It’s time to unfollow Eurovision” or “Does anyone recommend any TV series and films to watch in the second week of May?”
The inhabitants of Scandinavia are the most stubborn in expressing their dissatisfaction. This year’s edition of the competition will take place in Malmo, Sweden, where the organizers will have to take special care of the safety of all people taking part in the event in May.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
