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ESC rules forbid political texts
Israeli entry facing possible disqualification
The song Push the button was selected this Monday in the Israeli national final to be the one the band Teapacks will sing for Israel in the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest. The song is already causing controversy and even a possible disqualification, due to the political references and texts in the song:
The world is full of terror
If someone makes an error
He's gonna blow us up to biddy biddy kingdom come
There are some crazy rulers they hide and try to fool us
With demonic, technologic willingness to harm....
(Translation from Hebrew:)
Messages are exploding above me
missiles flying over me and falling on me...
Between a rocket and a weapon
between a kidnapped person and opportunism...
nothing is what everybody does.
"It's absolutely clear that this kind of message is not appropriate for the competition", said Kjell Ekholm of the EBU's Eurovision Song Contest's reference group. Ekholm also said that this matter will be discussed during the expected meeting of the heads of delegations in Helsinki soon. A possible disqualification of the Israeli entry is an option, in light of one paragraph in the Eurovision Song Contest's regulations, which says: "... No lyrics, speeches, gestures of a political or similar nature shall be permitted during the ESC... A breach of this rule may result in disqualification".
Leader of Teapacks, Kobi OZ, who also wrote the song, said to Ynet.co.il: "I am not frightened of this whole thing. We have not received any notice from EBU so we move on with our preparations for Helsinki. I know this song is not political. It does warn against the perils of a nuclear war and crazy leaders who might push the button. Some may think it refers to Israeli leaders, some may think it talks about other countries' leaders. We are not taking sides. The message we wish to convey is that all we want is to live, smell the flowers bloom and have fun. Last year all of Europe had a laugh on horror movies monsters from Finland. This year we give the opportunity to laugh on the living monsters among us".
IBA's head of delegation to Eurovision, Yoav Ginay, told Ynet.co.il: "After it was selected, the song was sent to the EBU, in compliance to the contest's regulations. We act according to the contest's rules, as we always did. We did not receive any complaint so far from the EBU in this matter".
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Today Bulgaria, Israel,Cyprus, Belarus and Iceland to exam in http://www.eurocronicas.blogspot.com
Videoclips and perfomances, vote for your favourite song.
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Latest news: NASH changes the name. Now is D'NASH.
stay home israel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this story was on the UK TV news (ITV and Newsnight) and in our newspapers. Any publicity is good publicity!
MODERATORS:
Where are you?? People is calling Israel here a terrorist country!
You should do something. here is what I mean:
fuad mustafic [36838] Mon 5 Mar 2007 10:55:06
ITS VORST SONG.
STOP ISRAEL AND GO HOME. YOU ARE TERORISTS
Come on, this is a song contest!
I like this song.
Please do not censor the lyrics of songs. We are living in 2007!
This is the choice of Israeli people and we must respect it.
you should be ashamed after the Libanon's disaster
and now you are trying to turn ESC into political propaganda
sorry but you will never be voted at least by me from now and on
Big disappointment
Oy! Still not disqualified? Get a move on it will ya!
This is ESC-unworthy stuff
ITS VORST SONG.
STOP ISRAEL AND GO HOME. YOU ARE TERORISTS
go teapacks go 
i'm gonna push the button and vote for you
neshikot mebosnia
I just see it as a fun song talking about there/my/your reality today.
Nothing wrong with that and certainly not political??
This song "IS" going to be in the final and score high..
The Spanish TV news have talked about this affaire. According to our information, lyrics makes indirect mention to what Iran government thinks about Israel.
It's the worst song I ever heard in the ESC!
What's wrong with the lyrics ? In fact, they are not saying any lie. The sentence "missiles flying over me and falling on me..." is what this area lives often, and they do not say anything in favour of Israely policy or anything against Palestinians. Is another exageration of the EBU "politically correct" minds !!
I'm gonna push the buttons on my telephone... I VOTE FOR ISRAEL!!! :-D After Dana's victory, Israel will WIN AGAIN! :-)
Push the button! :-) Israel NOW IS the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007! :-) The reason is quite simple: because Teapacks is WORLDNEWS right now! They definately will win!
Israel chose this song
It is the choice of the Israeli voting public
It has nothing to do with the EBU...............START SORTING OUT POLITICAL VOTING, START TO FOCUS ON WHY LESS PEOPLE WATCH THE CONTEST EACH YEAR, START SORTING OUT WHY TOP STARS WILL NOT TOUCH THE ESC WITH A BARGE POLE.
I see nothing wrong in this song, except the fact that it's not good.
It's so funny to see an Esctoday moderator ask me for moderation about my political oppinions on Israel if israeli son itself is political.
And, BTW, ESCTODAY moderators please remember that EBU is the one who thinks Israel should withdraw with this song!~
So, more important than your opinions regarding myself, this site has surely no more maturity to judge this subject than EBU.
This is so stupid - Israel can have whichever entry they chose. they must do something about neighbouring votes,thats more political than this song.
I am with Israel.
You are kindly requested to stick to the topic and avoid political discussions in this forum.
Thank you
Moderated by: Stella Floras at Fri 2 Mar 2007 21:46:44
I don't especially like the song, but I believe they have a right to sing it in Helsinki.
Because there's so much anti-Israeli feeling around, I feel, as a non-Jewish friend of Israel, I'll have to spare them a vote on May 10th (and 12th I hope!).
and ukraine's song about president Juschenko wan't a political one???????????
I don't want this song to be disqualified. I believe there's place for it in the contest.
Hope everything goes well for Teapacks.
Strange situation. Sure its a political song in some way, but then - so was "Ein bißchen Frieden" by Nicole.
I like the song. It's the first Israeli entry since the late 70s that I like. For this reason alone they should be allowed to perform in Helsinki. 
As years go by rules change too...however, were these rules in effect in 2005?
JUST ANOTHER BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD SONG....BUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHH
israel...u can do much better...why this SHIT ........
Sorry! I drives up into spanish language! I mean possibility of course. :-)
The song is great! it's my big favourite this year!
if EBU give for him a ban - this year be so bad!
It's song so funny, and orginlay! french, hebrew and english in one song!
Goold luck Israel from Sweden!
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