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TEL AVIV (AFP) — Israel's entry for the annual pilgrimage of kitsch and glitz that is the Eurovision song contest has a serious message this year -- an Arab and a Jew singing together for peace in a troubled homeland.

Ahinoam Nini, a Jew of Yemeni origin, and Mira Awad, a Christian Arab from the Galilee, hope the strains of their song "There Must Be Another Way" will echo far beyond the Moscow arena hosting the contest from May 12 to 16.

"I refuse to believe the only way is violence and extremism and hopelessness and despair," Nini, known outside Israel by her monicker Noa, told AFP.

"I am not going to live my life with that future in mind, so if I can do something to change it I will, and this song is a small step," she said.

The two singers insist they are not being naive.

"We don't think our song will bring peace to the Middle East," said Awad, the first Arab to represent Israel at the contest.

"The best thing it can do is resonate in as many hearts as possible and in as many people's minds as possible."

The duo's song includes lyrics in Arabic, Hebrew and English and calls for peaceful coexistence in the Middle East.

"And when I cry, I cry for both of us. My pain has no name. And when I cry, I cry to the merciless sky and say: There must be another way..."

The choice of Nini and Awad for Eurovision stirred controversy as it was made in January in the middle of Israel's deadly war on the Gaza Strip.

Awad faced calls to pull out of the contest in protest at the onslaught that sources in Gaza say killed more than 1,400 Palestinians in 22 days in December and January. Thirteen Israelis were also killed during the conflict.

"These reactions came because the announcement of our participation in Eurovision came at a very bad time which was the Gaza war," Awad said.

Arab-Israeli artists also signed a petition denouncing "the propaganda operation by the Israeli government" aimed at legitimising discrimination against them. Arabs make up 20 percent of Israel's 7.4-million population.

But Awad laughed off the suggestion that she might be used as a fig leaf to cover up the Israeli government's actions.

"The government didn't choose to send me to Eurovision. Noa and I agreed because of our eight-year collaboration," she said.

Awad was born in 1975 in Rama village, of a Palestinian father and a Bulgarian mother. An actress, singer and songwriter, she is also an activist working for Arab-Israeli civic rights.

Noa, also a peace activist, was born in Tel Aviv in 1969 but was raised in New York. She has recorded jazz, pop, rock and traditional music and has performed with the likes of Sting, Stevie Wonder and Carlos Santana.

The two friends, who have performed together several times in the past, support the One Voice Movement in favour of a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"I think that this area is drowning in a sort of cynicism and hopelessness because so many things have happened and there were so many opportunities missed to make peace," said Noa.

She insists that she and Awad are not going to Eurovision "to say everything is all right in Israel. Far from that, we're coming to say... we have an alternative to violence."

Israel has won the Eurovision song contest three times -- in 1978, 1979 and 1998. According to the official website for Moscow 2009 the extravaganza has an annual television audience of 100 million people.

"I am an Israeli as well," Awad told AFP. "I think it's natural that I should feel able to be the representative of my country in which I live."

Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved.

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Comment by Esther Bass on May 11, 2009 at 5:11pm: Apoyo absolutamente esta canción por el mensaje, el tono emotivo y lo que representa como clamor en la gente por un futuro en paz y sin violencia.
Animamos a todas aquellas personas y colectivos, sensibles a la paz y la NOviolencia a que participen activamente, creativamente en la Marcha Mundial por la Paz y la NOviolencia.
Por la NOviolencia como metodología de acción social y personal y por el Desarme Nuclear Mundial.
Wellington 2 de octubre 2009 - Punta de Vacas 2 de enero 2010.
http://www.theworldmarch.org
http://estherbass.blogspot.com

Comment by Garry Driehuizen on May 11, 2009 at 5:06pm: I too hope this will help forward the peace talks in the middel East. What an excellent idea that these two girls sing together. Good luck too U both I"ll bewatching and praying for U! Love and light and peace Garry

Comment by Harold Tookenay on May 11, 2009 at 5:06pm: Song...songs being sung resonates deeply into the soul of humanity and will ove people into action!! There is this archetypal essence in all of us that will be moved by song and rhythm...and into action. Small...large...actions we can make. Thank you.

Comment by Kornelia Henrichmann on May 11, 2009 at 5:01pm: Una accion ejemplaria !!

Saludos,
Conny

Comment by s <3 on May 11, 2009 at 4:57pm: :)

Comment by Bastien Champagne on May 11, 2009 at 4:53pm: Très belle initiative ! Je leur souhaite la paix qu.elles mérite ! Haribol ! Haribol ! Haribol !
( Chantez les Saints Noms de Krishna !...)
Bastien Champagne

Comment by Geraldo Maia on May 11, 2009 at 4:47pm: NOITE SEM OLHOS

de um cristal com sono esculpi teu beijo
e da fome ancestral da cebola colhi meu riso
estavas num barco sem pétalas só um símbolo
de asas inquietava teu colo na noite sem olhos

e de ti me tomastes pelo avesso
de tua fundura onde um menino dança
de tua flor sem soluços principiei meu sonho
estavas nua e apenas o som te amava

o sol sem ruas esperava o mel de tua pressa
e por aí andavas desde que me viciei em tua ternura
ah flor de saudade água de pássaro com soluços
talvez ainda em mim resista a sombra do teu rastro

escrevi para ti um mar em forma de grito
estava em pleno abraço com o abismo
então chegaram tuas coxas de argila
dois túneis de alasbastro com corcéis famintos

mas não havia para mim senão teus dedos
a pintar de chuva os desvios do coração
não havia cor nesses versos fatigados
de ânsia e de soldados

Então alguém apaixonado plantou um
pouco de música no poema
mas não havia sequer um poema ou lago
era só uma paixão dessas viciadas em pássaros
do mesmo sexo que a música no poema
nenhum mérito de improviso
o amigo põe música no amigo
e apenas por isso a poema existe

nada em si mesmo justifica seus versos
nada só a trama das espadas
nenhuma metáfora que o valha
nenhuma invenção do vazio ou
um arquiteto de plumas

e é tão leve a perfeição que resvala
na primeira falha de tua palavra fria
tão fria que não cabe mais num rio
só sabe perseguir relógios de alma antiga
são parecidos com lágrimas encardidas
dessas com o soluço envelhecido

um dia esperam que o barco engula o nevoeiro
e possam então olhar
e compreender que o cais não tem outra porta
que amanhecer

Geraldo Maia

Comment by fathi tobail on May 11, 2009 at 4:45pm: i hope this will bethe step to push the peace ahead

Comment by juan manuel vega on May 11, 2009 at 4:40pm: Excelente,
Un caluroso saludo
Juan Manuel

Comment by Mahmood Sairally on May 11, 2009 at 4:35pm: Thank you for sharing this David. It could be a drop of rain in this vast ocean but it could help to fufill part of our effort towards Peace in the Middle East. A Christian and a Jew from Israel taking part in an international song competition, could ba start for a better harmony without the blind politicians.