The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest: So. Israel.

For the past four years I've been heavily involved in the war in Syria.

In February and March I had to take a detour from that to cover the 2018 Winter Olympics and Para-Olympics. I am only now just reaching the point where I have caught up on what I missed.

To me even it seems odd then that I would take another detour to cover the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest. I seem though vindicated in my decision. Things in Syria are being blown up specifically because of the Eurovision Song Contest.

This year's Song Contest is not yet halfway through. The First Semi-Final took place yesterday (8/5/18). There is still the Second Semi-Final to come on Thursday (10/5/18). Then the Grand Final on Saturday (12/5/18). Therefore I am limited in what I can say without spoiling it for everyone.

However yesterday (8/5/18) Israel conducted airstrikes just outside of the Syrian capital Damascus. Specifically because Israel was competing in that First Semi-Final. So at the very least I have to cover Israel's entry this year.

The Eurovision Song Contest is primarily about politics. Nations use it to raise what they consider to be the main issues of the day and score points in feuds they're having with other nations. The feuds between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Greece, Turkey and Cyprus. Albania and anybody who has this misfortune to live close to Albania are the stuff of Eurovision legend.

As such the core, golden rule of the Song Contest is that entries cannot be overtly political. This forces nations to get creative and prevents the whole thing turning into a just unwatchable screaming match.

Israel are one of the most skilled nations in this area. They use the Song Contest to gauge how their often controversial policies are viewed by the nations of Europe.

So for example if Israel are doing something unpopular such as a war they make a very strong entry to the Song Contest. The strength of the entry is then used to off-set the unpopularity of Israel's actions. Likewise if Israel does something popular like entering into peace talks they make a very weak entry into the Song Contest.

In recent years Anti-Semitism has been on the rise across Europe. This has taken all of the precision out of Israel's role within the Song Contest. Neither Israel's actions nor the strength of their entry matter. Israel never make it through to the Grand Final because, Jews.

By 2014 things had got so bad Israel threatened to withdraw from the competition unless if not the precision returned they were at least given something resembling a fair chance.

This year Israel has been extremely naughty. Or more accurately US President Trump has been extremely naughty on Israel's behalf.

In December 2017 President Trump announced that he was moving the US Embassy to Israel to Jerusalem.

This caused international outrage for the simple reason that Jerusalem is not in Israel.

Under UN Resolution 181 (1947)  Jerusalem has "Corpus Separatum/Separated Body" status. This meant that it was neither part of Israel nor part of Palestine. Instead it is supposed to be administered by the international community under the auspices of the UN.

President Trump's announcement was condemned by 14 of the 15 members of the UN Security Council (UNSC). However the condemnation was vetoed by the US. So the matter was taken to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) where the US' veto was overturned. This was only the 11th time the UNGA has overturned a UNSC veto.

President Trump though pressed ahead. The US Embassy to nowhere will open in Jerusalem on Monday May 14th (14/5/18).

To off-set this level of naughtiness Israel's entry into the 2018 Song Contest needs to be absolutely amazing.

With "TOY" by Netta Israel has certainly produced a very strong entry.

Netta is clearly a very talented musician and the song is very fun and catchy and has the sort of gimmick that the Song Contest loves. Dubbed the chicken song it even raises the discussion point that Hebrew is one of those languages that makes it sound like even the chickens are trying to start a fight.

One way that Israel tries to promote itself amongst western and European nations is by highlighting how liberal it is compared to its Muslim, Arab neighbours. Israel is infinitely more tolerant of women's rights and gay right's than its neighbours.

Through her physical appearance Netta resembles a US singer by the name of Beth Ditto who is very famously gay. So you are being invited to speculate on whether Netta is also gay and in the process being reminded of Israel's support for gay rights. A massive vote winner at Eurovision.

The song is really a woman singing to a man. She's not only demanding that he treats her with respect but making it clear that she thinks she is too good for him. That's not the sort of thing any woman would get away within ISIL controlled territory.

The twist is that being something of a larger lady Netta does not fit into the traditional stereotype of female beauty. This makes the point that in Israel women are so empowered they feel comfortable even when they should perhaps feel a little bit ashamed of themselves and eat less. Not to make them attractive to men but for the sake of their health.

As is their intention the joke about Israel going big a Eurovision this year writes itself.

Another recently popular song in this genre is; "Ex's & Oh's" by US singer Elle King. This is noteworthy because this year Muslim Azerbaijan's entry invokes the Christian Cross in a song called "X My Heart" which has seasoned Eurovision watchers going; "Oh. That's interesting."

Probably the most famous song in the genre though is; "All About That Bass" by US singer Meghan Trainor.

Israel's position on the Syrian conflict has long been that it does not want Iran to establish bases in Syria. Israel has become much more vocal this point recently. Just on Monday (7/5/18) they clearly declared they would assassinate the Syrian President if he allowed Iran to establish those bases.

The US's response to this has been painfully literal. They are maintaining the Bobby Sands base near al-Tanf in order to block an Iranian road route from Iraq to Damascus. The fact their continued presence at Bobby Sands is granting ISIL safe haven in the area does not seem to matter to the US one little bit.

As all the recent Israel airstrikes on Syrian air bases show the road route at Bobby Sands is irrelevant. Iran can just fly things into Syria.

What is worse is that by granting ISIL safe haven the US is prolonging the conflict. In doing so continuing to provide Iran with a legitimate reason to maintain a military presence within Syria.

Israel weren't finished there with their entry though.

Like all Israelis Netta had to do compulsory military service. She spent this time in an Israeli Navy band. Given the powerful and forceful nature of the entry this little detail leaves you speculating on whether Netta is still a serving member of the Israeli military.

Also as I've mention this year's Song Contest is being presented in part by Portuguese-American actress  Daniela Ruah. She is most famous for appearing in, to give it its full name; "Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS): Los Angeles."

Apparently I'm not the only one finding the fact that an American with apparently no previous experience as a live TV host is hosting the Eurovision Song Contest highly amusing.

Also Rihanna's fanbase is known as; "The Navy." Rihanna has a special place in the Eurovision Song Contest. Primarily as a symbol of former US President Barack Obama's utter incompetence.

In 2013 Obama dispatched Rihanna on her Diamonds World Tour which was packed with hidden political meaning and symbolism. The nations which compete in the Eurovision Song Contest every year were not overwhelmed by this. At all.

The thing is that Israel's 2016 Song Contest entry was; "I Feel Alive" by IMRI. This lampooned a campaign that the Israeli tourist board was running at the time. The big pitch of the campaign was that you could spend part of your holiday in Tel Aviv and part of it in Jerusalem.

The video for I Feel Alive made it clear that Israelis loved Tel Aviv but only Tel Aviv. It was a section of Jewish Israeli society using the Eurovision Song Contest to demand that President Trump leaves the US Embassy in Tel Aviv.

With the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem looming just two days after the Song Contest this is the sort of division that's likely to trigger some intense discussion within Israel. It is of course a nation of 8 millions Jews meaning that at any given point there's at least 64 million opinions.

US President Trump decided to ratchet up the tension on Israel during this divisive time. Yesterday (8/5/18) he announced the US was withdrawing from the Iran deal and reimposing sanctions.

Although there will always be many opinions I don't doubt that large sections of Israel society want the Iran deal scrapped. However I don't think a single one of them wanted it scrapped an hour before Israel's appearance in the Song Contest's First Semi-Final.

So Israel spent that First Semi-Final bombing Syria and ordering its citizens into air raid shelters in fear of a mythical Iranian retaliation which never existed nor appeared.

The objective of this was for Israel to behave so appallingly that no performer could save them being kicked out of the Song Contest. Killing off the discussion about Israel's entry and totally removing the possibility Israel be awarded the 2019 Song Contest.

Eurovision rallied though. Israel is going through to the Grand Final and the conversation continues. Although there is no way in hell they can win.

It almost makes up for Switzerland not getting through. But failures like that should be expected. The general atmosphere this year is one of introspection and self-examination over how they've managed to get it so wrong in recent years.

19:50 on 9/5/18 (UK date).