PingPong () is an Israeli pop quartet that represented

Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest Israel has been represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 47 times since making its debut in . The current Israeli participating broadcaster in the contest is the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan). Israel has won the contest ...

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

with the song "

Sameach "Sameyakh" or "Sameach" (; meaning "happy") is a Hebrew song by the techno / pop band PingPong, a quartet consisting of Guy Asif, Roy Arad, Yifat Giladi and Ahal Eden. The song was the entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2000. Themes The s ...

" (, lit. ''Happy''). The members of the band were: Guy Assif, Ahal Eden,

Roy Arad Roy "Chicky" Arad (; born 5 January 1977) is an Israeli poet, singer, script-writer, artist, and political activist. Arad is the founder and former editor of '' Maayan'' magazine for poetry and a former journalist for Haaretz. Poetry and Liter ...

and Yifat Giladi. The band released one album ''Between Moral and Fashion'' (2000, Hed Arzi) with songs like "

Burger Ranch Burgeranch, also known as Burger Ranch, () is an Israeli fast-food chain. In 2010, the Burgeranch chain included 107 restaurants with over 1500 employees, competing primarily with McDonald's Israel and Burger King Israel. In October 2014 the ...

" (Israeli chain of fastfood restaurants), "I got a lover in Givati" and "Mr. Israel". Their song "Sameach" (Hebrew for "Happy") was admitted to the 2000 Eurovision Song Contest. At the close of voting the song had received 7 points, placing 22nd in a field of 24. The song lyrics mentioned a friend from

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

who dates an Israeli girl. The band was sanctioned by the

Israel Broadcasting Authority The Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA; ) was Israel's public broadcaster from 1948 to 2017, succeeded by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation. History The Israel Broadcasting Authority was an outgrowth of the radio station '' Kol Yi ...

after waving the

flag of Syria Since gaining full independence from France in 1946, Syria has used a number of different flags, all featuring the pan-Arab colours, pan-Arab colors of green, black, white, and red. Initially a green, white and black triband charged with thre ...

during the rehearsal and the video-clip of the song.Outraged Israel disowns daring Eurovision entry, The Guardian, 12 May 2000
/ref> They refused to back down for the performance in the final and pulled the flag out live,

Ehud Barak Ehud Barak ( ; born Ehud Brog; 12 February 1942) is an Israeli former general and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Israel, prime minister from 1999 to 2001. He was leader of the Israeli Labor Party, Labor Party between 1997 and 20 ...

was negotiating at the time. They also visited a Syrian community center in

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

, where the Eurovision was held. The song was covered by the band Beer7, a punk band whose vocalist is Roy's younger sister. The band was the favourite of the

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

magazine for winning the contest, but failed. In 2006, a documentary called 'Sipur Sameach"Third Ear
/ref> made by filmmaker Alon Weinstock was released on DVD, following the group's trip to Sweden.

References

External links

''Burger Ranch''
YouTube Israeli pop music groups Musical groups established in 1999 1999 establishments in Israel Eurovision Song Contest entrants {{Israel-band-stub