Israel’s public television station, KAN, presented this Thursday an official complaint to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Swedish public television (SVT) over the boos that its representative at the Eurovision Song Contest, Eden Golan, received on Wednesday during the dress rehearsal for the second semi-final, which takes place this Thursday starting at 9 p.m. In its complaint, Israel also protests the episode that occurred in the first semifinal on Tuesday, when Swedish guest artist Eric Saade performed with a Palestinian scarf wrapped around his wrist.
“After last night’s dress rehearsal, where there were calls for protest against Israel’s representative, Eden Golan, the Israeli Radio and Television Corporation addressed the EBU and SVT, who produce the show. “KAN expressed its objection to last night’s events, as well as to the series of previous incidents during the first semi-final in Sweden,” the Israeli public body said in a statement.
KAN called on both the EBU and SVT to take measures to prevent such incidents from being repeated and asked that Eden Golan be allowed to “compete fairly in tonight’s semi-final”. The betting houses suggest that Israel will qualify for the final, and currently give it 8th place among the 32 countries competing (there were 37, but 5 were eliminated in the first semifinal).
In the general rehearsal on Wednesday, designed for the jury and which included an audience that had paid admission, as is usual every year at this stage of the contest, Eden Golan received boos but also applause. The 20-year-old performer always continued her performance, singing her song Hurricane among the dancers. A spectator raised a Palestinian flag, which was removed by the security service, as there is an express prohibition on displaying Palestinian symbols. In principle, only official flags of the competing countries are allowed to be flown at the galas in addition to the rainbow flag of the LGBTI community.
Already on Wednesday night, KAN issued a statement: “Eden proudly took the stage during the dress rehearsal and gave an incredible performance. They did not silence her and they will not silence us. See you tomorrow”. Eden Golan also issued a statement Wednesday evening, The Times of Israel reported. “I am proud to represent my country, especially this year. “I am receiving support and love and I am determined to give my best performance tomorrow in the semi-final and nothing will deter me from achieving that goal!” For security reasons, Eden Golan has spent these days practically confined in her Malmö hotel with the Israeli delegation, leaving only for rehearsals and official appointments, and has not gone to promotion parties.
This Thursday’s semifinal begins at 9 p.m. (TVE’s 1 broadcasts it live) and 15 countries compete to enter the final on Saturday (10 must remain): Malta, Albania, Greece, Israel, Czech Republic, Austria, Denmark, Armenia, Latvia, San Marino, Georgia, Belgium, Estonia and Norway.
Also performing this Thursday, as an exhibition, are three countries that have guaranteed access to the final: Spain, France and Italy. The other three countries with direct access to the final (Germany, the United Kingdom and hosts Sweden) also acted as exhibitions in the first semi-final on Tuesday. None of them are put to a vote in the semi-finals: Sweden as the host and the other five as the Big Five, the five countries that make the most financial contribution to the EBU’s coffers.
Precisely this Thursday, the day of the second semifinal with a performance by the Israeli Eden Golan, a pro-Palestinian march brought together thousands of people in the streets of Malmö. There were between 10,000 and 12,000 protesters, according to estimates by the Swedish police. Some were Danes who had come by bus from nearby Copenhagen, and there was also the Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. The protesters chanted slogans such as From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free or Israel is a terrorist state, and also demanded the exclusion of Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest. In the afternoon there was also a smaller pro-Israel demonstration in Malmö.
