Watch: Pro-Palestinian Protests Erupt Over Israeli Artist’s Eurovision 2024 Participation

An Israeli solo artist’s performance at Eurovision 2024 sparked pro-Palestinian protests in Sweden on Friday amid the ongoing war in Gaza. Eden Golan, 20, faced boos from some sections of the audience over Israel’s participation in the world’s biggest live music event, but the singer managed to advance to the finals.

The Eurovision Song Contest is taking place in Sweden this week with 37 participating countries. Some 100,000 visitors from 89 countries have gathered in the host city Malmo, along with large protests against Israel’s participation due to the war in Gaza. Amid the anti-Israel dissent, there were also signs of support, with applause and Israeli flags waving in solidarity.

‘Not acceptable’

Outside the Eurovision venue, the tensions spilled over into the streets of Malmo, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered to voice their opposition to Israel’s participation. “When a country behaves in a way that is not acceptable then Eurovision excludes them. So why is it not the same for Israel?” said Swedish activist Greta Thunberg who participated in a protest on Thursday, calling for excluding Israel from Eurovision.

The Eurovision organisers faced mounting pressure to address the political controversy surrounding Israel’s involvement. Calls for the exclusion of Israel over its military campaign in Gaza reverberated, but the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) stood firm in its decision to allow Golan to compete. The organisers emphasised the apolitical nature of the competition, asserting that Eurovision was a platform for celebrating music and cultural diversity.

‘Overwhelmed with emotions’

During a press conference held shortly after the show, Golan said that she felt “overwhelmed with emotions, it’s truly such an honor to be here on stage, performing and showing our voice and representing us with pride and making it to the finals.” The Israeli singer was asked if she felt that she should not have attended the contest since it would bring “risk and danger” to the other contestants. Answering the question, Golan said “I think we’re 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.”