Israel allowed to compete in Eurovision after lyric change

Israel is to be allowed to compete in the Eurovision song contest after changing a lyrics in its entry that referenced the 7 October killings by Hamas.

Eden Golan is set to sing for Israel at the competition in Sweden, but her original song October Rain was prohibited over its political content, which is officially banned by the competition.

The original lyrics to the song, according to Kan, including lines such as "There’s no air left to breathe" and "They were all good children, each one of them."

Kan had initially said it would not change the lyrics, but agreed to do so after a request by Israeli President Isaac Herzog. 

Israel's entry in Eurovision while the attack on Gaza is ongoing has been criticised by pro-Palestinian campaigners, who pointed to Russia's exclusion from the competition as a result of its invasion of Ukraine.