Noa Kirel, Israel's Eurovision representative in Liverpool, is interviewed by foreign media on the turquoise carpet, May 7, 2023 (here 11)
The representatives of Noa Kirel, Israel's Eurovision representative in Liverpool, condition international interviews by banning political questions about Israel, as Ran Booker published on Ynet.
Noa Kirel's spokeswoman, Shir Pinto, confirmed things to Walla!
culture.
Booker added that on behalf of the singer it was said that "this is a music competition and we prefer not to talk about politics".
A senior official in the corporation with whom we spoke, says to Walla!
Tarbut in response to this: "I didn't know that. Very problematic for me."
Walla!
Tarbut asked a question to Kirel's manager, Roberto Ben Shoshan, to her personal spokesperson Shir Pinto, and to the corporate spokesperson here: Do you and Kirel feel comfortable with this problematic violation of freedom of the press?
A corporate spokeswoman here said the stipulation came from Kirel's personal spokesman, Pinto.
According to her, the corporation has nothing to do with it.
Ben Shushan turned to Pinto.
After Pinto first confirmed the publication on the condition of the ban on political questions, after Walla asked about the violation of the freedom of the press, he changed his version: "On the turquoise carpet everyone can ask everything and everyone asked everything freely. The only thing is that I was approached with requests for interviews from media outlets and I asked what the mood was The interview and I asked to play music because this is a singing competition and not a political conference of the European Union. This is my job as PR manager, to protect and do the best for my representative. Noa is well informed and knows how to answer everything.
Noa Kirel, Israel's representative at the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, walks on the turquoise carpet (photo: Kahan 11)
Two months ago, at the press conference that took place after Noa Kirel revealed for the first time the song "Unicorn" that represented Israel at Eurovision, the writer of these lines had a short interview with Kirel during which I told her: at the press conference you have easy interviewers, from Israel, who love you and we all want you to win first place.
In Europe there will be less nice interviewers.
Have you already started rehearsing how to answer political questions that will surely come from the foreign media?
Israel is now receiving a lot of criticism for the legal revolution.
Are you afraid of these questions and that it will make you lose votes?
In response to this, Kirel replied to Walla!
Culture: "Obviously there are concerns, because there is nothing to be done, politics is also involved in Eurovision. You asked if I have started preparing, so the answer is no yet, because I am going through everything. The song just came out, the music video just came out, I am letting people get used to it and me too. Of course that I will go through it in an orderly manner, I want to arrive prepared. I am aware that I represent Israel, and that I will be asked questions that are not the most fun in the world. This is the least fun side, but in the end I represent a country that is my home. I represent Israel, which is such an advanced and amazing country and I enjoy representing my country so much, so I will come prepared for any question that may come."
Despite her announcement, it seems that Kirel ultimately did not arrive prepared for the political questions, or that her fear overcame her ability to properly answer these questions.
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Noa Kirel, Israel's representative at the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, and her team on the turquoise carpet (photo: Kahan 11)
This evening (Monday) Kirel walked the turquoise carpet in Liverpool and aroused great interest in the foreign media who asked to interview her.
Watch photos from the event (above).
This year, unlike previous years, the Eurovision media center will be open for only six days instead of two weeks, and it will only open tomorrow.
The meaning of this step, among other things, is the cancellation of the press conferences that were open for coverage after each of the rehearsals.
Most of the delegations were asked at the press conferences questions such as "Who designed your dress", and "How do you make such beautiful hair", but the artists who represented Israel were also asked political questions.
At the press conferences in the media center, there was never any restriction on questions in advance, and the singers who represented us always came prepared with answers.
The only time a political question was stopped was at the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, when rockets were fired to the south during the opening of rehearsals.
The day after the European Broadcasting Union, the EBU retracted and allowed the Nationalists to respond.
Due to the cancellation of this year's press conferences, the turquoise carpet is the first opportunity for the media to meet the representatives of all 37 countries participating in the competition, including Noa Kirel.
This is a welcome event that officially opens the Eurovision week and this year it was held at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.
Naturally, the Israeli delegation always attracts a lot of attention compared to other countries, due to our unique political situation.
The moderators of the event asked the representative of Israel about the song Unicorn, and she replied, "You have three minutes to bring yourself, your character and your culture - it's a challenge, but I like challenges, of course. It was important for me to bring the message of the unicorn to the world, A message of personal empowerment, the power to be who you are, to love yourself as you are, the uniqueness and diversity that each and every one of us has."
culture
Tags
Noa Kirel
Eurovision 2023
Roberto Ben Shushan
Pinto song
