The Eurovision Song Contest, considered the largest non-sports television show in the world, celebrates the grand final this Saturday with 26 countries competing and a shortlist of favorites in which, according to the betting houses, Israel has strongly emerged.
The first favorite continues to be the Croatian Baby Lasagna with his catchy Rim Tim Tagi Dim, but the Israeli Eden Golan – who has been both booed and applauded in rehearsals and semi-finals – is second, and could well win, boosted by televoting of the European and international Jewish audience. For a few hours, fans of the festival from non-participating countries can also vote.
The bloody Israeli military offensive in Gaza has called into question the country’s participation in a contest that declares itself apolitical, but which in this 68th edition is marked by the crisis in the Middle East. In the host Swedish city, Malmö, the Swedish police force has been reinforced with Danish and Norwegian agents, and these days there has been a pro-Palestinian demonstration and a pro-Israeli counter-march. For security reasons, Eden Golan hardly leaves her hotel, except for rehearsals and official appointments.
In a context of tension, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) yesterday suspended “until further notice” the rehearsals for the final of the representative of the Netherlands, Joost Klein, due to “an incident” in which he is involved, which is being investigated. and about which they did not give more details in a brief statement. Klein was at the first dress rehearsal yesterday, but only during the initial parade of participants.
The accredited press immediately recalled a tense episode involving Klein alongside Eden Golan on Thursday night when, after the second semi-final, the ten qualified countries held a press conference.
A Polish journalist asked the Israeli if she felt responsible because her presence in Malmö has raised the terrorist alert level in the city to the maximum. The moderator told Golan that if he didn’t want to, he didn’t have to respond. “Why not?” Klein interjected loudly. The Israeli singer then responded to the question like this: “I think we are all here for one reason, and one reason only. And the EBU is taking all safety precautions to make this a safe and united place for everyone. That’s why I think it’s safe for everyone: otherwise we wouldn’t be here.” Last night there was also talk of a possible confrontation between Joost Klein and a member of the Israeli delegation.
Later, the EBU issued a second statement in which it explained that the investigation continues, as well as the dialogue with the Dutch public television, Avrotros, and that in the meantime Joost Klein would also not participate in the second dress rehearsal on Friday night, regarding which is then voted on by the juries of the 37 participating countries. Instead, the video of his performance in the second semi-final will be used. Until yesterday, Joost Klein, with his song Europapa, was in the favorite quintet; not now.
Bettors now see the Swiss Nemo in third place, with the mix of rap, rock and opera that is The Code, while France has entered fourth place (Slimane, with the ballad Mon amour), and in fifth place is Ukraine, with rapper Alyona Alyona and singer-songwriter Jerry Heil and their folk and rap song Teresa
The shock over Israeli participation in the festival reverberates in Europe. Two ministers from Germany (Culture Minister Claudia Roth) and France (European Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot) judged boycotts of Israeli artists or pressure on artists to ban Israel as unacceptable.
Meanwhile, in Spain, vice president Yolanda Díaz wrote on the X network that Eurovision “is joy, peace and diversity, not the showcase to whitewash Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people.” Her party, Sumar, is collecting signatures to ask for her expulsion. Israel premiered at the festival in 1973, and has won it four times (1978, 1979, 1998 and 2018).
