Israel says it will not allow in activists targeting Eurovision
Protests expected at song contest over country’s treatment of Palestinians
Israel has said it will block activists who plan to disrupt the Eurovision Song Contest from entering the country, as anxiety mounts that the event, watched by a global TV audience, will become a focus for protests against the country’s treatment of the Palestinians.
The world’s longest-running televised song competition will take place on 14-18 May in the coastal city of Tel Aviv. Contestants have begun to arrive, stage lights have been hung and fresh grass has been laid for a massive party on the seafront.
The event has become a target for the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign, which accuses Israel of using music to “whitewash” its policy towards Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, which this weekend experienced some of the deadliest clashes since the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas, which controls the blockaded enclave.
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While none of the 42 acts taking part in Eurovision has pulled out, organisers fear demonstrators might exploit the show, which attracts hundreds of millions of viewers.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...l-not-allow-in-activists-targeting-eurovision