Israel singer Eden Golan has made the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, following a public vote.
The 20-year-old singer, whose emotional Hurricane was reworked from a previous track called October Rain, which was thought to reference the Hamas attacks on Israel, performed at the second semi-final on Thursday evening.
Ireland’s entry, Bambie Thug, qualified for Saturday’s final after an exhilarating performance on Tuesday at the first semi-final.
Earlier in the day, thousands of protesters including environmentalist and campaigner Gretta Thunberg walked across the streets of Malmo from Stortorget to Molleplatsen to show their support for Gaza and condemn Israel taking part in Eurovision amid the war in the Gaza Strip.
Golan opened with a back bend, before launching into her song and received claps and cheers from the audience while dressed in a flowing sand-coloured dress.
The event’s organisers had said they will not “censor” the audience after Golan was booed during rehearsals on Wednesday and there were reportedly shouts of “free Palestine”.
Switzerland’s Nemo, whose operatic-pop song The Code is seen as one of the favourites to win on Saturday, made the final along with Netherlands act Joost Klein, with his irreverent and silly Europapa, and Norway’s Gate with the folkish Ulveham.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), whose members approved Israeli broadcaster Kan, has taken a strong stance, as in previous years, against political messages at Eurovision and flags and symbols from non-competing countries.
Bambie Thug has said they were asked to remove pro-Palestinian messaging written in Ogham on their body before Tuesday night’s semi-final.
Despite the EBU’s position, Tuesday’s first semi-final saw former Swedish contestant and opening act Eric Saade wear a keffiyeh pattern material, commonly used by people who want to show they are pro-Palestinian, on his arm.
The 2024 Eurovision finalists (in order they were announced at the two semi-finals)
- Serbia: Teya Dora – Ramonda
- Portugal: Iolanda – Grito
- Slovenia: Raiven – Veronika
- Ukraine: Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil – Teresa & Maria
- Lithuania: Silvester Belt – Luktelk
- Finland: Windows95man – No Rules!
- Cyprus: Silia Kapsis – Liar
- Croatia: Baby Lasagna – Rim Tim Tagi Dim
- Ireland: Bambie Thug – Doomsday Blue
- Luxembourg: TALI – Fighter
- Latvia: Dons – Hollow
- Austria: Kaleen – We Will Rave
- Netherlands: Joost Klein – Europapa
- Norway: Gåte – Ulveham
- Israel: Eden Golan – Hurricane
- Greece: Marina Satti – ZARI
- Estonia: 5Miinust x Puuluup – (nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi
- Switzerland: Nemo – The Code
- Georgia: Nutsa Buzaladze – Firefighter
- Armenia: Ladaniva – Jako
– PA
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