Israel went out of the Eurovision Song Contest on Thursday night, after failing to come in the top 10 in the contest's semi-finals in Helsinki.

Technical difficulties cast a shadow over the performance by popular Israeli band Teapacks, as the broadcast cut out for five seconds and was replaced by a silent red screen.

The 10 countries that qualified will go through to the finals on Saturday night.

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According to Israel Radio, the Israel Broadcast Authority's delegation to the contest requested that the band either be allowed to perform the song again or be awarded additional points, to make up for the possible disadvantage created by the technical difficulty. The European Broadcasting Union denied the request.

Two months ago, the organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest decided to allow Israel's entry, "Push the Button," into this year's competition despite some early complaints about its lyrics, which allude to nuclear war.

The EBU, which arranges the annual event, said no songs had been barred or changed ahead of the finals.

"They have all been cleared. The songs were all according to the rules," the EBU's Svante Stockselius told a news conference.

He declined to comment on individual entries.

In March, host broadcaster YLE said it had received many objections to "Push the Button."

The song is widely interpreted as a commentary on Iran's atomic program and statements by its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that Israel should be "wiped off the map."

"We are very happy and excited," Hagit Novick-Salomon, a spokeswoman for Teapacks, said in Israel, where the tune overwhelmingly won a Eurovision selection contest last month.

She said the band had been confident its song would be approved for its broad appeal. "We have been rehearsing as scheduled in anticipation, and look forward to the trip to Helsinki for the May 10 competition," Novick-Salomon said.

Contest organizers had previously termed the song as having an inappropriate political message.

"It's absolutely clear that this kind of message is not appropriate for the competition," said Kjell Ekholm, an organizer of the contest. "We'll have all the delegation leaders here in Helsinki next week, and I'm sure we'll talk about this case within the EBU [European Broadcasting Union] group."

Israel won the 1998 Eurovision contest when Dana International wowed audiences with "Diva."