Anti-Israel activists have been calling for months to bar Israel from the contest and have unsuccessfully lobbied other countries’ participants to boycott the competition.
Golan will be accompanied by heavy security in Malmo due to the anti-Israel and antisemitic atmosphere in the city, which has only increased since Israel’s war against Hamas broke out.
Four Jews living in Malmo, Sweden, reflect on the rise in antisemitic and anti-Israel tensions in the city, which have spiked since October 7, ahead of Eurovision.
The international song contest will be held this year in Malmo, Sweden, considered to be one of the most antisemitic cities in the world, making Israel's participation more complicated.
Much focus is expected to be on Israeli contestant Eden Golan and her song Hurricane, as multiple large pro-Palestinian protests are planned outside the venue in Malmo.
The singer who will represent Israel in the competition is facing difficulties due to the war backlash, and after her song was almost disqualified by the European Broadcasting Union.
Nine participants of the upcoming Eurovision contest will not boycott the annual competition, simply because of Israel's involvement.
It wasn’t easy to get Israel’s song choice approved this year, but “Hurricane” finally received the thumbs up from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs the annual contest.
Eden Golan will perform “Hurricane” at the competition in Malmo, Sweden, in May. The approved song has the same melody as “October Rain,” which was rejected.
Israel has already agreed to revise the lyrics of its potential submission to the song contest after EBU took issue with verses that appeared to reference Hamas' October 7 attack.
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