It was hardly a surprise that Israel’s Eurovision contribution would result in protests of some kind. Despite its own rules, the 68-year-old international song contest has for decades been used as a platform to express political views and geopolitical divisions. But the war in Gaza – and Israel’s imminent threat to launch a full-scale ground invasion of Rafah – has made this year’s song contest more political than usual.
Before the world’s largest live music event began in the southern Swedish city of Malmö this week, Swedish police had geared up for a nearly unprecedented security operation. Hundreds of extra riot police have been deployed to the city, snipers have been placed on the roofs and drones can be seen hovering in the sky.
