Israel to participate again in Eurovision despite violent protests
Despite strong protests against Israel’s participation in this year’s Eurovision, the country will also take part in the competition next year. This was confirmed by Kan, Israel’s equivalent to DR (Danish Radio), to Sveriges Radio.
Israel’s delegation, which included singer Eden Golan among others, has expressed strong criticism of the treatment they received during the latest edition of Eurovision. According to Kan, Golan and the rest of the delegation were not only met with protests and threats, but also with hatred and harassment from other participants in the competition.
The protests against Israel’s participation in Eurovision were primarily motivated by the country’s military actions against the terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza. The conflict began as a response to Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, where around 1,200 people were killed and approximately 250 were taken as hostages. Since then, the Israeli counteroffensive has reportedly resulted in around 38,000 deaths according to Hamas’ health ministry in Gaza.
Despite the political drama and the violent reactions, Israel has decided to continue its participation in Eurovision next year.