Isaac Herzog said ‘haters try to drive us off every stage’ as lyrics to October Rain scrutinised by organisers
Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, wants to ensure the country competes in the Eurovision song contest after the event’s organisers said they were examining whether the lyrics sung by the Israeli contestant were too political.
“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,” Herzog said on Sunday, the Times of Israel reported. “Being smart is not just being right,” he added.
Israel last week threatened to withdraw from the contest if its organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), rejected the lyrics to October Rain, performed by Eden Golan, which have been claimed to reference the 7 October Hamas attacks.
According to the Israel Hayom newspaper, lines in the song include, “There’s no air left to breathe”, and “They were all good children, each one of them”.
