Eden Golan from Israel performs the song “Hurricane” on the stage of the Eurovision Song Contest during rehearsals for the second semifinal in the Malm\u00f6 Arena, May 8, 2024. (Jens B\u00fcttner\/picture alliance via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the global competition held in the Swedish city of Malm\u00f6 this year, has tirelessly pushed one slogan: \u201cUnited by Music.\u201d But the group\u2019s decision to keep Israel among 37 nations vying for a trophy has instead divided Malm\u00f6, triggered global petitions, caused artists to boycott and generated plans for a flood of street protests.<\/p>\n
Eurovision launched with its first semifinal on Tuesday. Eden Golan, the 20-year-old singer representing Israel with her song \u201cHurricane,\u201d drew both cheers and boos during a dress rehearsal on Wednesday in advance of the second semifinal on Thursday. Bookmakers have ranked Israel in the top 10 likely victors, which would land Golan among 26 contestants in the final on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Locals in Malm\u00f6, which has a longstanding reputation for antisemitism and a record of attacks on Jews by both neo-Nazis and members of the substantial Muslim immigrant minority, unsuccessfully petitioned the city to bar Israel from competing. (The last time the city hosted the contest, in 2013, Jews and non-Jews held a rally after Israeli fans reported harassment.)<\/p>\n
Now, Malm\u00f6 is brimming with Swedish police, along with reinforcements from Denmark and Norway, ahead of demonstrations against Israel\u2019s participation, including a boat march that took place on Wednesday. Police expect more than 20,000 protesters in the small city\u2019s streets, outnumbering about 15,000 people holding tickets to gather in the Malm\u00f6 Arena. Outside of Malm\u00f6, Eurovision is expected to draw more than 150 million people to TV screens worldwide.<\/p>\n
Israel\u2019s inclusion in the contest sparked international backlash because of its deadly military campaign in Gaza. More than 160,000 people have signed a petition to ban Israel from Eurovision, while 20 artists dropped out from performing in events surrounding the contest. Some protest groups have organized alternative events in Malm\u00f6, such as \u201cFalastinVision,\u201d billed as a \u201cgenocide-free song contest\u201d hosting 15 artists from eight countries \u2014 including the Palestinian territories \u2014 at a live show scheduled for the same time as Eurovision\u2019s final.<\/p>\n
Among the artists performing at FalastinVision is Bashar Murad, a Palestinian singer who competed to represent Iceland in Eurovision this year and lost to Hera Bj\u00f6rk.<\/p>\n
\u201cPalestine is blocked from major events around the world \u2014 including Eurovision \u2014 so it\u2019s difficult for Palestinian artists to showcase our culture and art globally,\u201d Murad said in a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. \u201cFalastinVision is a beautiful way to address that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Boycotters have accused Eurovision of a double standard for including Israel after excluding Russia from its contest in 2022 after Russian troops invaded Ukraine. Noel Curran, head of the EBU, has maintained that Russia was cut off for failing to meet broadcaster guidelines that Israel has met.<\/p>\n
\u201cComparisons between wars and conflicts are complex and difficult and, as a non-political media organization, not ours to make,\u201d Curran said in a statement. \u201cIn the case of Russia, the Russian broadcasters themselves were suspended from the EBU due to their persistent breaches of membership obligations and the violation of public service values.\u201d<\/p>\n
For many Israelis, the country\u2019s participation and success in the contest is a point of pride and an antidote to concerns \u2014 heightened this year amid the war \u2014 that Israel is isolated on the world stage. Israel was accepted into the contest in 1957, its second year, causing Egypt and Syria to exit. It competed for the first time in 1973 and has since won four times, most recently for \u201cToy\u201d by Netta in 2018.<\/p>\n
As part of Eurovision\u2019s \u201cnon-political\u201d guidelines, the contest bars flags and signs other than the national flags of participants and the rainbow pride flag \u2014 which means that Palestinian flags are not allowed in the venue.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, opening act performer Eric Saade \u2014 a former Swedish contestant of Palestinian origin \u2014 wore a keffiyeh, a scarf seen as symbolizing Palestinian solidarity, on his wrist. Saade was reprimanded by the EBU, which said in a statement, \u201cWe regret that Eric Saade chose to compromise the non-political nature of the event.\u201d<\/p>\n
The EBU also cited politicization concerns as its reason for rejecting Golan\u2019s initial song entry, titled \u201cOctober Rain.\u201d The song appeared to reference Hamas\u2019s Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people, took some 250 hostage and triggered Israel\u2019s military assault in Gaza. Golan tweaked the song and renamed it \u201cHurricane,\u201d although its lyrics and video could still be interpreted as a reaction to Oct. 7.<\/p>\n
Golan is largely staying out of view during Eurovision week for fear of security threats, skipping most events other than the live shows and rehearsals, and is being accompanied by a security detail. In lieu of the contest\u2019s opening \u201cturquoise carpet\u201d event on Sunday, she went to a local ceremony marking Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.<\/p>\n
Fredrik Sieradzki, who heads the Jewish Learning Center in Malm\u00f6, said he welcomed Golan together with the Israeli delegation. Malm\u00f6 is home to a small Jewish community of about 1,000 people, including some parents who have complained of antisemitic incidents at their children\u2019s schools since Oct. 7, according to Sieradzki.<\/p>\n
\u201cEden Golan lit one of the candles. We lit six candles and the seventh one, of course, for the latest victims,\u201d Sieradzki told JTA, referring to the people killed on Oct. 7. \u201cIt was a very emotional get-together, we felt we were family. When Jews come here, we welcome them.\u201d<\/p>\n
In an interview with Reuters, Golan avoided criticizing the protests against her performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s up to the people what to do,\u201d she said. \u201cThey have the right to speak their voice, but I\u2019m focusing on my part which is giving the best performance, and on the good, on the good vibes, the good people.\u201d<\/p>\n
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