Israel thus joins the group of 26 countries which will compete on Saturday to succeed Sweden as winner of this competition followed in 2023 by 162 million viewers. Israel has participated in Eurovision since 1973, winning it for the fourth time in 2018.
On Friday, the country was among the favorites for the final victory behind Croatia and ahead of Switzerland, according to the online betting site comparator Oddschecker.com.
Before the semi-final, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Eden Golan had “already won”. “Not only are you proudly and admirably participating in Eurovision, but you are successfully confronting a horrible wave of anti-Semitism,” he told her in a video message.
Enhanced security
Nearly 12,000 people, including climate activist Greta Thunberg, demonstrated in Malmö on Thursday against Israel’s participation. “This year we are completely boycotting,” said Cecilia Brudell, 31. A new gathering is planned for this Saturday.
Unions at Flemish public television channel VRT briefly interrupted broadcasts on Thursday evening to broadcast a message of support for the Palestinians. “This is a union action. We condemn the human rights violations by the State of Israel. Furthermore, the State of Israel is destroying press freedom. This is why we are interrupting the broadcast for a moment. #CeaseFireNow #StopGenocideNow,” could be read on the screen in Dutch, against a black background.
“Hurricane” was, however, performed without a hitch or interruption by Eden Golan in front of 9,000 spectators at the Malmö Arena.
Inside, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which oversees the competition, has as usual banned any flag other than those of the participants and any banner with a political message.
Security has also been reinforced both in the room and in the rest of the city, where the largest community of Palestinian origin in Sweden lives and where Palestinian flags rub shoulders with brightly colored pennants.
The neutrality of the tele-hook was shaken up Tuesday during the first semi-final by the Swedish singer Eric Saade, who wore a Palestinian keffiyeh around his arm.
Calls for boycott
“There must be protests, people must express their opinions, people must boycott,” said Magnus Børmark, candidate for Norway with his group Gåte, who, like eight other participants, called for a ceasefire. lasting fire. Representatives of certain countries had considered boycotting the competition, but ultimately did not follow through.
100,000 visitors expected
Police reinforcements came from all over Sweden but also from Denmark and Norway to secure the competition. “There is no threat against Eurovision,” however assured a police spokesperson.
For fans – the city expects up to 100,000 visitors on Saturday – “it’s what is on stage that is important: the contributions, the artists and the music, and not politics”, believes the history professor of the ideas Andreas Önnerfors, Eurovision specialist.
