Israel will be among the 26 countries competing in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 final, following a tense second semi-final where its delegate Eden Golan performed her song “Hurricane”.
Earlier on Thursday 9 May, thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets in Malmö, Sweden, where this year’s contest is being held. Further protests are now expected due to Israel’s participation in the final amid its war on Gaza.
Other countries to make it through to the final after competing on Thursday include Latvia, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Greece, Estonia, Switxerland, Georgia and Armenia.
They will join the 10 counties who qualified in the first semi-final on Tuesday 7 May: Serbia, Portugal, Ukraine, Lithuania, Finland, Cyprus, Croatia, Ireland and Luxembourg.
They will compete alongside the “big five” countries who automatically qualify to the final – the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Italy – and host country Sweden, which won last year’s event.
Among the favourites to win this year are Croatia’s Baby Lasagna, Ireland’s Bambie Thug, and Switzerland’s Nemo.
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Israel among 10 countries to qualify for Eurovision 2024 final after second semi-final
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They join the 10 countries who qualified from the first semi-final on Tuesday (7 May): Serbia, Portugal, Slovenia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Finland, Cyprus, Croatia, Ireland and Luxembourg.
The “big five” countries – the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Germany – are automatically guaranteed a place in the final, as is 2023’s winner Sweden.
Israel’s journey with entry Eden Golan to the final on Saturday (11 May) means that further protests are now expected that day.
Pro-Palestinian groups have said that they plan to march again on Saturday. They have been calling for other countries to boycott the contest over Israel’s offensive in Gaza following Hamas’s 7 October attack.
The EBU has repeatedly defended its decision to allow Israel to compete, insisting it is a “non-political” event.
Roisin O’Connor10 May 2024 08:05
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