Eden Golan, an Israeli singer, has secured her spot in the Eurovision Song Contest final following a public vote.
Her triumph occurred just hours after a large crowd of pro-Palestinian demonstrators assembled in Malmö, Sweden, the host city of the contest, to express their solidarity with Gaza.
The previous night, the 20-year-old performer had faced a chorus of boos during the dress rehearsals. A similar mix of cheers and jeers echoed during Thursday’s semi-final.
Overwhelmed with emotions, she expressed her feelings post-show, “It’s an absolute honour to stand on this stage, proudly representing Israel,” she said.
“I’m deeply thankful to everyone who voted and contributed to our support, and mine in particular.”
The ten acts that emerged victorious in Thursday’s public vote included:
- Latvia
- Austria
- The Netherlands
- Norway
- Israel
- Greece
- Estonia
- Switzerland
- Georgia
- Armenia
