Eurovision 2024 Competitions Begin Under the Heavy Shadow of the Gaza War and Special Security Measures

The 68th edition of the Eurovision singing competition began on Tuesday in Northern Europe, overshadowed by the war in Gaza. Representatives from Europe and beyond performed their songs in the first part of the semi-finals, held in the coastal city of Malmö in southern Sweden. After the second part of the semi-finals on Thursday, 26 representatives from 37 participants will advance to the final, which is set to take place on Saturday. According to the Associated Press, around 100,000 people are expected to come to Malmö to watch the competition, including thousands of Palestinian supporters protesting the Gaza war. As a result, special security measures have been implemented in the city and at the competition venue. Demonstrations against the war in Gaza are scheduled for Thursday and Saturday. Israel also has a representative this year, and the government has warned of a 'significant concern' that Israelis may be targeted during the competition in Malmö. The Eurovision organizers had asked Israel to change the lyrics of its chosen song for the 2024 competition, titled 'October Rain,' which refers to the October 7 Hamas attack. Hamas and its allies attacked southern Israel on October 7 last year, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking over 250 others hostage. This attack initiated the Israeli military's war against the Iranian-backed Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza, which has resulted in thousands of casualties, mostly on the Palestinian side. Meanwhile, Eurovision officials announced last Thursday that they would prevent the entry of Palestinian flags or political symbols into the venue of this annual artistic event. According to Michel Rougerie, head of communications for the European Broadcasting Union, the organizing body of Eurovision, attendees may only hold the flags of participating countries. The heightened security measures in Malmö come amid an increase in terrorist threat levels in Sweden last year due to incidents related to the burning of the Quran and protests by Muslims. Eurovision, established in 1956 to foster solidarity among European countries, is now a popular international event with millions of television viewers worldwide. The previous Eurovision was held in Liverpool, England, and the winner was 'Lorine' from Sweden. This year's Eurovision is influenced by the Middle East crisis and security warnings from the Swedish police.