Day after day, week after week, there are attempts to remove Israel from global cultural life. That might be in film, music or sport. On Tuesday, the mob failed. Two Israelis, Noam Bettan and Daniel Peretz, reached key events in their respective fields, reminding us of the range of talent emanating from a tiny nation.
First, singer Noam Bettan qualified for the Eurovision final with the song “Michelle”. His progress to Saturday’s show comes amidst waves of protest, boycotts and conspiracies. Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Iceland and Slovenia even pulled out of the competition because Israel was allowed to enter, as it usually does.
I confess, Bettan’s sultry, multi-lingual pop track is not particularly to my heavy metal-leaning tastes. However, it is undoubtedly a legitimate contender for Eurovision and is understandably amongst the favourites to claim the top prize.
Yet because he is Israeli, not everyone wants to focus on the music. On Monday, 48 hours before Bettan was due to take the stage, The New York Times chose to run an investigation that it claimed, “found a well-organised campaign by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government that embraced Eurovision as a soft power tool”.
Yes, Israel is promoting its artist, as is within the rules. Does anyone doubt that the other countries are doing the same? But of course, it must be a conspiracy when it is done by the Jewish nation.
Eurovision has always been political, one way or another, so much so that you can often predict which countries will award each other high points. Have a look at the Greek and Cypriot voting records! The attempt to single out Israel would all be quite funny were it not such an upsetting attempt to undermine a talented young man.
A short time after Bettan’s progress was confirmed, another Israeli was celebrating reaching a major final. Goalkeeper Daniel Peretz and his Southampton teammates beat Middlesbrough 2-1 to win their Championship play-off semi-final tie. They will head to Wembley in a couple of weeks’ time where they will face Hull City to decide who will be in the Premier League next season. (Southampton might yet face sanction over allegations that the club spied on Boro training sessions. As yet, nobody has tried to blame the Mossad for whatever went on, but there is time yet...)
The stakes of that Wembley clash could hardly be higher. The Championship play-off final is the most valuable one-off game in football. Winning it generates approximately £200 million in additional income for the victor. The loser must start in the second tier all over again.
Were the Southampton fans worried about the birth nation of the man between the sticks? It doesn’t seem so. In fact, a Saints-supporting pal explained that, such is his ability to keep things out, Peretz has been nicknamed the Iron Dome by those in the stands.
Meanwhile, back in Vienna, a journo friend covering Eurovision told me that the official Israel café in the host city was packed. People were actually stuck outside because it was so full. The café had even run out of some of the items on the menu. Israelis running out of food? Now that really is shameful!
The last two-and-a half years have felt increasingly isolating for diaspora Jews, for Zionists, for people who care about Israel. However, the successes of Peretz and Bettan underline how most ordinary people do not want to boycott or harm Israel. They can separate the guy making a massive save for their team or singing a song they like to a government and its policies.
It is heartbreaking when incidents such as Dudu Tassa and Jonny Greenwood having to cancel their concerts happen. Not that there should have to be a political purity test before you are allowed to take the stage, but most Israeli artists are likely to be deeply critical of the Netanyahu government. That is the benefit they have of coming from a democracy.
The work of Bettan, Peretz and others also emphasises why it’s so important that Israelis continue to compete in these spaces. When normal people see Israeli musicians or athletes, they realise that they are not, in fact, horned monsters that want to murder children, but people wanting to share their skills. Or, more likely, they just enjoy the show or match and don’t think about geopolitics very much at all.
The hate-filled mob know this. They understand the power of culture, which is why they do not want people to be exposed to charming, talented Israelis, as it dents their ability to demonise and whip up hate.
Those trying to bully Israel from the culture sphere must never be allowed to win, but I sure hope Noam Bettan and Daniel Peretz do.
To get more from opinion, click here to sign up for our free Editor's Picks newsletter.