Israel’s Eden Golan, Eurovision finalist, booed at semifinals

Israel’s Eden Golan has received both boos and applause from spectators at the semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden.

She was one of the ten acts who advanced to the grand final of the contest, determined by votes from Eurovision viewers worldwide with bookmakers predicting a likely finish in the top half of the competition final.

Eden Golan, Israel's contestant, has largely remained out of public view in Malmo, aside from rehearsals and performances at the Malmo Arena. Unlike other performers who interacted with fans at the Eurovision park in the city, Golan did not participate.

The Israeli singer is under tight security as she moves between her hotel and the contest venue in the city of Malmo.

Israel's participation in Eurovision, despite not being in Europe, is permitted because its national broadcaster is a member of the European Broadcasting Union, whose membership extends beyond the continent.

Golan has now also become a focus for protests by pro-Palestinian demonstrators who want Israel kicked out of Eurovision over Tel Aviv's onslaught on besieged Gaza which has killed close to 35,000 Palestinians.

On Thursday, a crowd of over 10,000 people, as estimated by the police, marched through the southern Swedish city, chanting slogans like "Free Palestine" and "Israel is a terror state." Banners were displayed, accusing Eurovision of complicity in genocide and advocating for a boycott of the competition.

Another protest march is scheduled for Saturday, just hours before Golan competes in the live Eurovision final, where she will face off against acts from 25 other countries.

Golan’s song in the competition is a ballad titled “Hurricane”. However, the song was first called “October Rain,” an apparent reference to the October 7 Hamas attack. 

The original title had to be changed because it violated contest rules prohibiting "political" content. 

Golan, born in Israel to parents originating from the former Soviet Union, resided in Russia during much of her early years, where she showcased her talents on televised talent competitions before moving to Israel again.