People fix a banner promoting the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) onto a scaffolding as preparations are underway before the opening of the Eurovision Village in Folkets Park in Malmö, Sweden, on May 2, 2024.(Credit: Johan Nilsson/AFP)
The Israeli National Security Agency (NISA) increased the threat level for travel to Sweden from level two (random threat) to level three (moderate threat) on Thursday, ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest held in Malmo, Israeli media report.
Israel's war on Gaza has already caused some issues for the country's involvement in the contest. In February, Israel’s song entry “October Rain” was rejected on the grounds that it referenced the victims of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack and was, therefore, too political.
The original song started with the lyrics, "Writers of history, stand by me," and ended with the words, "They were all good children each one of them."
The Israeli Security Council’s travel advisory warning cites "a well-founded concern that terrorist elements will exploit the protests and the anti-Israel mood to carry out attacks against Israelis attending Eurovision.”
“Malmo is recognized as a hub for anti-Israel protests, given its high concentration of immigrants from Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran,” the statement reads. It also mentions “a recent surge in calls from global jihadist groups and radical Islamists to carry out attacks against Western targets.”
According to Times of Israel, Israel’s Eurovision contestant, Eden Golan, was advised by Shin Bet not to leave her hotel room except for performances and official events.
Violence, physical and verbal, against Jews around the world has been on the rise since Israel began its relentless bombing campaign of Gaza.