{"id":112840,"date":"2024-05-12T17:00:47","date_gmt":"2024-05-12T15:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=112840"},"modified":"2024-05-12T12:01:34","modified_gmt":"2024-05-12T10:01:34","slug":"17-00-90","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=112840","title":{"rendered":"Israel\u2019s Eden Golan Advances to Eurovision Finals Despite Thousands of Anti-Israel Protesters in Sweden"},"content":{"rendered":"<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"center alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/www.reunion68.com\/Biuletyn\/img\/youtube.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"15%\" \/><\/a><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #000080;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #000080; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/QV_NQ5F_iXY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Eden Golan &#8211; Hurricane<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><br \/>\nEden Golan<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<hr style=\"height: 15px; background: #d0e6fa; width: 100%;\" \/>\n<div id=\"content\" class=\"content-alignment\">\n<div id=\"watch-description\" class=\"yt-uix-button-panel\">\n<div id=\"watch-description-text\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Eden Golan\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QV_NQ5F_iXY\" width=\"680\" height=\"400\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr style=\"height: 15px; background: #d0e6fa; width: 100%;\" \/>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"center alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/www.reunion68.com\/Biuletyn\/img\/algem.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"35%\" \/><\/a><span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #000080;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #000080; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/2024\/05\/10\/israels-eden-golan-advances-eurovision-finals-despite-thousands-anti-israel-protesters-sweden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Israel\u2019s Eden Golan Advances to Eurovision Finals Despite Thousands of Anti-Israel Protesters in Sweden<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Shiryn Ghermezian<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<hr style=\"height: 15px; background: #d0e6fa; width: 100%;\" \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Corinne-Cumming-EBU-3A5A6707-Enhanced-NR-2.jpg\" width=\"100%\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\"><em>Eden Golan performing \u201cHurricane\u201d for Israel at the second semi-final for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest at Malmo Arena on May 9, 2024. Photo: Corinne Cumming\/EBU<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Israeli singer Eden Golan on Thursday secured a spot in the finals of the\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/2024\/05\/02\/israel-increases-travel-threat-swedish-city-malmo-ahead-eurovision-song-contest\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2024 Eurovision Song Contest<\/a>\u00a0taking place in Malm\u00f6, Sweden, after more than 5,000 people protested earlier in the day about Israel\u2019s participation in the competition.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-ntq2eh\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Golan, 20, competed in Thursday\u2019s second semi-final with a modified song, titled\u00a0<em>Hurricane.<\/em>\u00a0The original version was titled\u00a0<em>October Rain<\/em>\u00a0and referenced the deadly Hamas terrorist attacks on Oct. 7 in southern Israel. However, it was disqualified by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the Eurovision Song Contest, for breaking rules on political neutrality. Israel was forced to change the song\u2019s title and lyrics if it wanted to participate in the contest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-ntq2eh\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Twenty-six contestants will compete in Saturday\u2019s Eurovision finals. After Swedish singer Loreen won the competition last year with the song\u00a0<em>Tattoo,<\/em>\u00a0Sweden was given hosting duties for this year\u2019s competition and automatically guaranteed a place in the Eurovision finals along with France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, which make the largest financial contributions to the song contest. The remaining 20 countries qualified for the finals after competing in the semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"sign-in-gate\">\n<p class=\"dcr-ntq2eh\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">On Thursday, before Golan performed, roughly 5,000-6,000 anti-Israel demonstrators took to the streets in Malm\u00f6, and\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HenMazzig\/status\/1788664883212423553\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">outside the singer\u2019s hotel room<\/a>, to protest Israel\u2019s inclusion in the competition and the Jewish state\u2019s ongoing military campaign targeting Hamas terrorists controlling the Gaza Strip. They changed \u201cfree, free Palestine\u201d and some demonstrators held banners that read, \u201cWelcome to Genocide song contest\u201d and \u201cstop using Eurovision to whitewash Israeli crimes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-ntq2eh\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Swedish climate change activist\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/2023\/10\/20\/idf-claps-back-after-greta-thunberg-expresses-solidarity-with-palestine-ignores-israeli-victims-of-hamas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Greta Thunberg<\/a>\u00a0was among the protesters and wore a keffiyeh draped across her shoulders. \u201cIt is outrageous that Israel is allowed to participate,\u201d she said. \u201cWe cannot remain silent during a genocide.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-ntq2eh\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Golan, who reportedly received death threats for competing in the Eurovision, was ordered by Israel\u2019s national security agency Shin Bet to stay in her hotel room during the anti-Israel demonstrations, except to attend her performances.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-ntq2eh\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">At a press conference after the semi-finals for those who were advancing to the next round, Polish journalist Szymon Stellmaszyk\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/visegrad24\/status\/1788845828972397012\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">insinuated<\/a>\u00a0that Golan put others in danger by participating in the competition. Golan was visibly taken aback by the comment and told by the host of the press conference that she did not need to respond, but Dutch singer Joost Klein, who was sitting next to Golan on stage, interrupted and said, \u201cWhy not?\u201d Golan ultimately chose to answer Stellmaszyk and said, \u201cI think we\u2019re 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.\u201d Greece\u2019s representative in the Eurovision, Marina Satti, was later criticized on social media for her\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NiohBerg\/status\/1788855804566618124\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u201cimmature\u201d<\/a>\u00a0behavior on stage while Golan was speaking at the press conference.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-ntq2eh\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">The EBU\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/2024\/04\/10\/eurovision-organizers-condemn-online-abuse-targeting-contestants-israeli-singer-receives-death-threats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">more than once<\/a>\u00a0defended its decision to allow Israel to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest this year, explaining\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/2024\/05\/06\/eurovision-head-discredits-israel-russia-comparisons-while-commenting-pressure-disqualify-israel-contest\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">last week<\/a>\u00a0that the Eurovision is \u201ca non-political music event\u201d and \u201cnot a contest between governments.\u201d The EBU also\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/2024\/04\/10\/eurovision-organizers-condemn-online-abuse-targeting-contestants-israeli-singer-receives-death-threats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">condemned<\/a>\u00a0the social media abuse and harassment that Eurovision contestants have faced for not pulling out of the competition as a way to boycott Israel\u2019s participation. Anti-Israel activists unsuccessfully attempted for several months to\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/2024\/03\/29\/uks-eurovision-contestant-refuses-boycott-song-contest-israels-involvement-supports-unifying-power-music\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">convince artists<\/a>\u00a0to withdraw from the song contest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-ntq2eh\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">At Tuesday\u2019s semi-final, Eric Saade, whose father is Palestinian and from Lebanon, wore a keffiyeh around his wrist while performing his 2011 Eurovision entry\u00a0<em>Popular.<\/em>\u00a0The keffiyeh, a headscarf traditionally worn by Palestinians, has become known as a symbol of solidarity with Palestinian opposition to Israel. The EBU later said Saade compromised \u201cthe non-political nature of the event.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-ntq2eh\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Ireland\u2019s entry, Bambie Thug, was also told to remove makeup from their face and legs that spelled out \u201cceasefire\u201d and \u201cfreedom for Palestine\u201d in a medieval Celtic script, according to\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/culture\/music\/2024\/05\/08\/eurovision-bambie-thug-was-asked-to-remove-pro-palestinian-ogham-writing-for-performance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>The Irish Times.<\/em><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-ntq2eh\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">An audience member who waved a Palestinian flag while Golan performed in the semi-finals on Thursday was\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MOSSADil\/status\/1788674431620952359\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">removed<\/a>\u00a0from Malm\u00f6 Arena by security.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Another Eurovision contestant, Finish singer K\u00e4\u00e4rij\u00e4, received thousands of hateful comments after\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C6wi08sNjHY\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a video<\/a>\u00a0was posted online of him dancing with Golan to the point where he then took to his Instagram Story on Wednesday to explain his appearance with the Israeli singer.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Screenshot-2024-05-10-at-9.22.11%E2%80%AFAM-570x1024.png\" \/><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #808080;\"><em>A message that K\u00e4\u00e4rij\u00e4 wrote on his Instagram Story after receiving hate messages for dancing with Eden Golan. Photo: Screenshot<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-ntq2eh\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">Golan was booed by audience members during her dress rehearsal on Wednesday and shortly afterward, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video message in support of the singer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">\u201cYou\u2019re competing not just in the Eurovision in a proud and very impressive manner, but you are competing successfully in the face of an ugly wave of antisemitism \u2014 and you are standing up to it and representing the State of Israel with huge honor,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #000080;\">In the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, Israel\u2019s representative, Noa Kirel, came in third place.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr style=\"height: 15px; background: #d0e6fa; width: 100%;\" \/>\n<div id=\"content\" class=\"content-alignment\">\n<div id=\"watch-description\" class=\"yt-uix-button-panel\">\n<div id=\"watch-description-text\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p><em>Zawarto\u015b\u0107 publikowanych artyku\u0142\u00f3w i materia\u0142\u00f3w nie reprezentuje pogl\u0105d\u00f3w ani opinii Reunion&#8217;68,<\/em><em><br \/>\nani te\u017c webmastera Blogu Reunion&#8217;68, chyba ze jest to wyra\u017anie zaznaczone.<br \/>\nTwoje uwagi, linki, w\u0142asne artyku\u0142y lub wiadomo\u015bci prze\u015blij na adres:<br \/>\n<\/em><span style=\"color: #000080;\"><strong><em><a style=\"color: #000080;\" href=\"mailto:webmaster@reunion68.com\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">webmaster@reunion68.com<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr style=\"width: 100%;\" \/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eden Golan &#8211; Hurricane Eden Golan Israel\u2019s Eden Golan Advances to Eurovision Finals Despite Thousands of Anti-Israel Protesters in Sweden Shiryn Ghermezian Eden Golan performing \u201cHurricane\u201d for Israel at the second semi-final for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest at Malmo Arena on May 9, 2024. Photo: Corinne Cumming\/EBU Israeli singer Eden Golan on Thursday secured [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[26,24],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112840"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=112840"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112840\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":112880,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112840\/revisions\/112880"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=112840"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=112840"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=112840"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}