Music, peace and a flicker of hope in Israel

Another year, another line-up of kitsch pop songs and bizarre folk music: Eurovision is back.

Tomorrow, in Tel Aviv, Australia’s Kate Miller-Heidke will soar through the stars with the operatic pop song, Zero Gravity. The French LGBTQ YouTuber Bilal Hassani will sing an anthem about self-acceptance. Norway’s band KEiiNO will introduce 200 million viewers to the traditional singing style of the Sami people, known as “joik”.

But one band will undoubtedly stand out above the rest: Iceland’s Hatari, an anti-capitalist, BDSM, techno-pop group. The band will perform their song Hatrið mun sigra (or Hatred Will Prevail) in leather and fetish gear.

Eurovision explicitly bans any political songs. But the band argues, “You can’t go to Tel Aviv and perform on that stage without breaking the rules of Eurovision.”

Indeed, the location of this year’s contest has been causing controversy since the moment last year’s winner, Netta, raised the glittery trophy. Why?

To answer that question, we must go back 100 years to the end of the World War One, when Britain took control of Palestine. The area had an Arab majority and Jewish minority.

The Jewish population grew, with many fleeing persecution in Europe. In 1947, after the horrors of the Holocaust, the UN declared that the area should be split into two separate states: one for Jews, and one for Arabs. The Arab side did not agree to the plan.

In 1948, the British Left and Jewish leaders declared Israel an independent Jewish state — triggering a war with Palestinians.

Several wars have followed in the decades since. Today, Palestinians live in Gaza, the West Bank and Eastern Jerusalem. Their movements are heavily restricted and violence regularly flares up. Only this month, 23 people in Gaza and four in Israel were killed in a three-day battle.

Palestinians say they are being held hostage by Israeli occupiers. Israel says it has a right to defend itself from the militant group Hamas.

The conflict colours every part of life in the region — and few have confidence that a peace deal will be agreed any time soon.

Dare to dream?

So where does Eurovision fit into this? Israel is hoping to change international opinion, presenting itself as a tourist destination by highlighting its cosmopolitan cities and beautiful beaches. Eurovision was created to help bring peace to Europe through music. Perhaps it could do the same in Israel?

Probably not, say experts. The conflict has spanned generations, and its roots are even older: both sides claim an ancestral right to the ancient capital city of Jerusalem. Finding a peaceful solution has eluded the world for decades — it will take more than some sequins to get us there.