Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Tel Aviv when Israel hosts
Organisers confirm the international singing competition will take place in the Israeli coastal city, not as initially suggested in Jerusalem.
The Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Tel Aviv next year, organisers have announced.
The Israeli government initially insisted on holding the competition in Jerusalem but following a backlash over the US recognition of Jerusalem as its capital and a fear of boycotts, it dropped the demand.
A Eurovision spokesman said they chose Tel Aviv, Israel’s cultural and commercial capital, because of its “creative and compelling bid”.
Israel won the Eurovision this year with a flashy pop tune called Toy by Netta Barzilai, who dazzled viewers with her feminist lyrics, unconventional appearance and signature chicken dance.
Her victory earned Israel the right to host next year’s contest.
“Eurovision is a perfect fit for our city, which has been internationally acclaimed for its vibrant energy, creative spirit, its lively cultural scene and its celebration of freedom,” said Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai. “We are looking forward to host a joyful and nonstop event in the spirit of Tel Aviv.”
In Europe, capital cities have usually played host to the competition but the city Israel considers its capital is not recognised as such by most of the international community.
Hosting the competition in Jerusalem could have presented a predicament for the public broadcasters that make up the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), sparking criticism that they would be taking sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The so-called BDS group – for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions – has called on the EBU, the contest’s sponsor, to boycott the Eurovision contest in Israel altogether.
Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed the area in a move that is not internationally recognised. Israel considers the entire city to be its capital while the Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.
Tel Aviv, which is hosting the event for the first time, says it expects around 20,000 tourists to visit the city.
The Eurovision semi-finals will be held in Tel Aviv on May 14 and 16 followed by the grand final on May 18.LISTEN to this week’s episode of the Jewish Views Podcast!
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
