The Eurovision Song Contest, often shortened to just Eurovision, is a major annual music competition.
The contest, organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), sees countries from across Europe and beyond - including Israel, Azerbaijan and Australia - submit an original song and select an artist to perform the song in a live television and radio broadcast.
The competition has been held almost every year (barring 2020) since 1956 and is extremely popular around the world, and has helped launch the careers of some of the world's most iconic musical artists.
Overall, the songs tend to be cheerful and the event prides itself on being apolitical, though it has come under criticism for some controversies in the past.
Eurovision winner Gali Atari, from 1979's Milk and Honey, reminds Golan to remember
During the performance of Eden Golan's song "Hurricane", spectators in the audience booed in contempt, and some even left the hall.
The singer, whose music has since been banned in her home country, speaks out against war.
Jerusalem-born Tali Golergant, representing Luxembourg in Eurovision, advanced to the finals. Israel's contestant, Eden Golan, will perform in the second semi-final on Thursday.
Israeli Eurovision contestant Eden Golan skipped the song contest's opening gala ceremony on the Turquoise Carpet to instead attend a Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony with Malmo's Jewish residents.
The announcement comes ahead of an expected influx of travel to Sweden for the beginning of the Eurovision Song Contest on May 7.
Anti-Israel activists have been calling for months to bar Israel from the contest and have unsuccessfully lobbied other countries’ participants to boycott the competition.
Four Jews living in Malmo, Sweden, reflect on the rise in antisemitic and anti-Israel tensions in the city, which have spiked since October 7, ahead of Eurovision.
The international song contest will be held this year in Malmo, Sweden, considered to be one of the most antisemitic cities in the world, making Israel's participation more complicated.
Healthy eating and physical activity have led to substantial weight loss, according to sources close to the former Eurovision winner.
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