Elad Carmel on Boycotts and Politics at Eurovision: Dana International as a Case Study

Elad Carmel, a scholar researching the politics of the Eurovision Song Contest, discusses his current project on Dana International, the transgender singer who won for Israel in 1998. In an interview with Der Freitag, Carmel explains that Dana International embodies tensions within Israeli society, including conflicts over transgender identity and religion, as well as the ethnic divide between Ashkenazi and Mizrahi Jews. He notes that in the 1990s, Dana sang in both Hebrew and Arabic, reflecting her Mizrahi heritage from Yemen. The interview also addresses ongoing boycotts and protests in Vienna against Israel's participation in the contest, highlighting the complex political landscape surrounding the event.