Israel has qualified for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, taking place this weekend in Sweden, while thousands protested in Malmö on Thursday against its participation due to the war in Gaza. Israeli singer Eden Golan performed her song "Tornado" at the second semi-final in front of nine thousand spectators, securing her spot in the finals.
A 30-year-old Swedish woman named Hilda, who preferred not to disclose her last name, stated, "I love Eurovision and it pains me, but I will boycott." She added, "I can't enjoy it knowing that Israel is participating at a time when so many children are being killed. I think that's unfair."
The protests against Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, which will have its finals on Saturday in Malmö, come in light of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, with petitions circulating across Europe demanding its exclusion. At the end of March, participants from nine countries, including Switzerland's Nemo, a favorite to win, called for a permanent ceasefire.
Protesters, numbering over ten thousand according to an AFP team, marched from the main square in Malmö down the city's main pedestrian street, waving Palestinian flags. Signs read "Free Palestine" and "Eurovision legitimizes genocide."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a video message on Thursday expressing support for Israel's Eurovision entrant, saying to Golan, "Good luck." He added, "You know, you’ve already won. You are not only participating in Eurovision with pride and in an impressive manner, but you are also successfully facing a terrible wave of anti-Semitism."
