Growing up under Israeli occupation, we didn't have much in the way of entertainment. That's why I watched the Eurovision song contest on TV. Compared to the usual TV fair on the three available channels, it was exciting. Another reason I watched was to root against the Israeli entry.
Sitting there in Ramallah, two blocks from the Israeli occupation army headquarters and main prison, I was puzzled and mystified why the State of Israel was allowed to participate in a European song contest. Their participation would make sense if the contest was called "Continuing Tradition: Former and Current Colonial Powers Singing Together." But how did they convince Europe that they are European too, I wondered. I concluded that those Europeans were worse at map reading than Americans and the Palestinian Oslo negotiating team put together.
Or that Israel is good at propaganda. Really good. They are the masters. I give them that. Their latest public relations stunt is their entry in the Eurovision for this year. The Israeli National Broadcasting Authority, a day before the Israeli army launched its devastating attack on Gaza, struck artistically by choosing Achinoam Nini and Mira Awad to represent the State.
To say they "chose" the two women is not totally accurate. Noa was chosen and she brought along the less-known Awad with whom she's been collaborating for eight years. The officials saw a great opportunity there for some serious whitewashing.
The genius of the choice is that now, in the aftermath of the Gaza attack, we have two women, one Jewish and one Palestinian, sing together about coexistence and peace and all those good things. In fact, if you look carefully, you will notice that the team representing Israel is made up of two Arab women, for Noa's family is Yemni.
Furthermore, both are peace advocates. Their entry is called " There Must Be Another Way." It's sung in Hebrew, Arabic, and English (video). Here's a translation of the Arabic part:
"Your eyes say a day will come
When all the fear will disappear
In your eyes a determination
That we have no choice
But to continue on this road
No matter how long
Because there is no one single address for grief
I call to the horizon
To the stubborn sky." (see here for rest of lyrics)
You can see how anyone who is not rooting for this collaboration will be seen as war-loving and nasty. Taking that risk, Palestinian and some leftist Israeli artists wrote an open letter to Awad, asking her to withdraw from the competition. This is what they said:
"The Israeli government is sending the two of you to Moscow as part of its propaganda machine that is trying to create the appearance of Jewish-Arab 'coexistence' under which it carries out the daily massacre of Palestinian civilians.
"Israel would not be able to proceed with its war crimes without the support of the international community and the United States and European Union in particular."
"Israel's image as a 'democratic', 'enlightened' and 'peace loving' state is what allows the international community to support it. Your participation in the Eurovision is participation in the Israeli propaganda machine.
"Every brick in the wall of this phony image allows the Israeli army to throw 10 more tons of explosives and more phosphorus bombs. We are sure that you also see these images and cry."
They concluded:"Israeli artists, authors and intellectuals that take part in this propaganda machine, instead of working for justice, equality and the upholding of human and civil rights – not to mention international law – are also partners to the crime. Please Mira, for the children of Gaza and for the future of every child in this land – Arabs and Jews – don't be an accomplice to the killing machine."
If nothing else, this letter and Awad's decision to disregard it, point out to the difficult position in which Palestinian artists in Israel find themselves. I don't have any reason to doubt the singers' sincerity when they talk about the need to further dialogue and that their motives are honorable. And they have every right to further their own careers. But I agree with the writers of the letter. Regardless of the intention of the performers, their act is part of the state's systematic effort to obscure its violence against Palestinians. And that should be resisted.
The Israeli song is now a finalist. Although sung by two women peace advocates, one of whom is Palestinian, and despite its lyrics, it is not a song of resistance. I will not be rooting for it.
Unless...at the end of the song, Awad waves a Palestinian flag, or in her acceptance speech Noa denounces her government's Gaza massacres.
Now that will be something to watch.
In the meantime, I nominate this as Israel's alternative official entry.
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