Israel’s selection for the Eurovision Song Contest deals with the country’s security woes. Israeli officials on Tuesday chose “Red Button,” by the pop group Tea Packs, to represent the country at the contest in May. The song contains lines such as “Rockets are flying and landing on me” and “Police and thieves are chasing me,” referring to Palestinian attacks and crime waves in Israel. The selection marks a departure from previous Israeli entries for the annual contest, which usually have been paeans to peace or frilly songs devoid of serious content. This year’s contest will take place May 12 in Finland.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.