Ukraine fears 'Israel' will make it invisible at Eurovision contest
4 Min Read
The Ukrainian contestants are trying to claim the spotlight again as they have been for the past 2 years amid the Russian special operation in Ukraine, and fearing that the Israeli war on Gaza will take that away from them.
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Ukrainian singer Jerry Heil, left, and rapper Alyona Alyona pose for a photograph during an interview with The Associated Press in Ukraine, Thursday, April 25, 2024. (AP)
As Eurovision kicks off, Ukrainian contestants fear "Israel's" participation will take over their presence and stop them from being "visible".
In an interview, Ukrainian singer Jerry Heil, the stage name for Yana Shemaieva, relayed to AFP that "It's an opportunity for us to represent our culture. To show that we've got so much more to give people," adding: "We just need to be visible".
The Eurovision Song Contest began on Saturday in the Swedish town of Malmo, with 37 countries participating, as it is being dominated by calls for "Israel" to be banned from partaking due to its genocide in Gaza.
The event is due to conclude on May 11.
The singer representing the occupation, Eden Golan, has allegedly received direct threats that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), overseeing Eurovision, has condemned.
Heil and Ukrainian rapper Aliona Savranenko, known as Alyona Alyona, are in the competition with their song "Teresa & Maria", with lyrics sung in Ukrainian "about union".
"We have to remind the world how united it was" before Russia invaded Ukraine, Alyona Alyona said, noting that the world must "give this helping hand again, and help refugees, help with medicine, weapons".
The duo said that if they win, they'll sell the trophy and give the money to help in the war against Russia, like their predecessors who raised $900,000 in an auction.
"We'll sell it for the nation," they said.
Stealing the limelight
The Ukrainian contestants are trying to claim the spotlight again as they have been for the past 2 years amid the war in Ukraine, and fearing that the Israeli war on Gaza will take that away from them. As one of the singers calls for help with more weapons, it is clear how much the US' endless supply to "Israel" has been taking away from Ukraine's stock.
In 2022, Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision Contest, when the EBU banned Russian contestants and indefinitely excluded Russian broadcasters from the organization.
The duo has begun raising money for the reconstruction of the Velykokostromska primary school in the Dnipropetrovsk region which was struck by a missile.
Last year, the EBU refused to let Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky speak on a broadcast, as they said it was a "non-political" environment. However, Jerry Heil and Alyona Alyona claim that "Politics is everywhere."
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This year, the organizers told Golan to rewrite some lyrics to her song and change the title because the original version was deemed to be making references to Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel.
"Culture is a part of politics, so every song is political," said Alyona Alyona, while Heil said: "We are here to speak... You can exist together, and no one's stepping on anyone's side, that's the reality we want to live in".
"Only music can connect divided people," she concluded.
This comes after the contest organizers told the Israeli participant to alter her lyrics and the title October Rain because the original version made references to the October 7 events.
Just two days ago, The Independent reported that the organizers announced their right to prohibit any Palestinian flags and pro-Palestine symbols from the performances.
Michelle Roverelli, the head of communications for the EBU, stated that ticket holders are only permitted to carry and display flags of nations that participate in the event, as well as the rainbow flag.
