The public broadcaster Kan, which organizes the participation of Israel in Eurovision, has lodged a complaint with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and before the Swedish public broadcaster for the boos during a dress rehearsal against the Israeli candidate, Eden Golan, and for the pro-Palestinian messages shown in Wednesday’s first semi-final.
The Israeli delegation maintains that this Wednesday, when the artist Golan went on stage to rehearse before the semifinal this Thursday, she was booed, according to local media, and also when she sang the last lines of her song in Hebrew Hurricane.
The Israeli complaint also appeals against messages in solidarity with Palestine and against the war in Gaza, such as the appearance of the Swedish-Palestinian Eric Saade wearing a kufiya (palestinian scarf on your wrist) during the first semi-final on Tuesday.
Kan asked the EBU and the Swedish radio station to work to prevent cases like those experienced by the singer Golan from being repeated, and that allow Israel to compete “fairly” in tonight’s semi-final.”
The criticism from Eurofans has been constant these months of warfor allowing Israel to participate in the festival while continuing its offensive in Gaza with more than 34,900 dead.
Professional juries and television viewers will decide this Thursday in the second semi-final whether Israel advances to Saturday’s final in Malmö, Sweden.
