Eurovision Song Contest 2024
9 May 2024
11:28
The rehearsals of Eden Golan, singer representing Israel, on the eve of the second semi-final scheduled for tonight, ended with shouts, whistles and ‘boo’s’. From the audience they loudly shouted “Free Palestine”, the video.
Credits: Eurovision Gallery
During the rehearsals for the second semi-final of Eurovision Song Contest 2024 Yesterday, Eden Golan, the singer representing Israel, was harshly contested by the public. After the performance to the tune of Hurricanean EBU-approved song that he had initially rejected October Rain, song that contained implicit references to the Hamas massacre of last October 7, whistles and screams could be heard from the stands of the Arena. The participation of Israel, which will perform tonight, continues to be the subject of controversy due to military actions on the Gaza Strip. Despite the protests, the organization confirmed the country’s admission to the race, differentiating the case from that of Russia in 2022.
The boos against Eden Golan at the Eurovision Song Contest
Boos, shouts, ‘boo’ and ‘Free Palestine’. Eden Golan, together with her team, left the stage after the performance to the tune of Hurricane for complaints received during the tests. There are numerous videos on
A similar situation could arise in this evening’s live broadcast, scheduled on Rai2, and the organization will not be able to avoid it. The Eurovision regulations underline, in fact, the importance of freedom of speech: “The EBU is a firm believer in free speech and the right of people to express their deeply held views and opinions. We understand that people may wish to make their voices heard and support the right of those wishing to demonstrate peacefully “.
Eurovision 2024, no ranking for the first evening: the 10 singers in the final
EBU’s explanation of Israel’s participation in the ESC
The protests revolve around the decision to allow Israel to participate in the ESC, despite the military actions on Gaza. In 2022 Russia was excluded due to the war in Ukraine, in this regard EBU responded to the controversies that arose by clarifying:
It is not up to us to compare two different wars. In the case of Russia, the broadcaster itself had been suspended by the EBU due to its continued failure to meet its membership obligations and breaches of public service values.
