Israel Nearly Disqualified Over Iran-Referencing Lyrics

MAY 15 2007 · 12:15

Teapacks · "Push the Button" · Israel · 2007 Placement: 24 · Score: 17 · Language: English, Hebrew, French · Composers: Kobi Oz · Venue: Hartwall Arena · Host: Helsinki, Finland · Type: political statement · Broadcast: digital hd Teapacks — Israeli alternative-rock collective led by Kobi Oz — take the Hartwall Arena stage in circus-inspired carnival costumes for 'Push the Button'. The multilingual lyrics reference pushing a 'crazy button' — widely read as alluding to Iranian leadership and nuclear weapons. EBU considered disqualification pre-contest but allowed the entry after lyric clarifications. The performance is grotesque-comic. 24th of 24 in semi-final, failing to qualify for grand final. Context Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had made incendiary statements about Israel in the months before Eurovision. Teapacks had been an Israeli indie-rock institution since 1988. The EBU lyric review focused on whether 'push the button' constituted political content. The song was cleared but the semi-final audience wasn't buying. Legacy The Teapacks entry is cited in Eurovision lyrics-review precedent discussions — a case that preceded the Galasy ZMesta 2021 disqualification. Kobi Oz and the group continued producing Israeli alternative music. The 2007 card is a reminder that Israeli Eurovision political subtext has been consistently present since the country's 1973 debut.