Israeli Eurovision fans warned of anti-Semitic attacks
Eurovision fans from Israel have been warned they could be the target of anti-Semitic attacks if they travel to the song contest next week.
The annual competition is being held in Basel, Switzerland, where about 360 anti-Israel protests have taken place in the past year.
Israel's National Security Council (NSC) issued the travel advisory amid expectations of more protests over the war in Gaza and Israel's participation in Eurovision.
It told Israelis to stay away from the demonstrations, which it warned could be used as cover to attack Jews.
The NSC said: 'It is recommended to stay away from these centres of friction and demonstrations, which may escalate into violence.'
It called on Israelis not to display Jewish or Israeli symbols in public spaces, avoid posting on social media and not to discuss military service or the war against Hamas.
The warning comes amid rising anti-Semitism in Europe blamed on the war in Gaza, including an infamous 'Jew hunt' in the Netherlands.
In November last year, Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans were attacked before and after a Europa League match against Dutch side Ajax on a day that coincided with a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Amsterdam.
Eurovision begins on May 13 and ends with the final on Saturday, May 17.
Israel's representative is Yuval Raphael, who survived Hamas's brutal assault on the Nova music festival on Oct 7, 2023. She will sing a song called 'New Day Will Rise'.
The 24-year-old is expected to sail through the second semi-final on Thursday and take part in Saturday's final. Protests against Israel are expected for both the second semi-final and final.
More than 70 former Eurovision contestants signed an open letter demanding Israel and its national broadcaster KAN be banned from the competition because of the country's 'genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza and the decades-long regime of apartheid and military occupation against the entire Palestinian people'.
RTÉ, Ireland's public broadcaster, also asked the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the competition organisers, for talks over Israel's involvement in the contest in Basel's St Jakobshallet this week.
There were demonstrations against Israel at last year's contest in Malmo, Sweden, where audience boos during Israeli entrant Eden Golan's performance of Hurricane in the final were muted by event organisers.
Hurricane replaced October Rain as Israel's song after contest bosses ruled it was too political because of the October 7 terror attack on Israel.
The EBU has overturned a ban on spectators waving Palestinian flags at the contest in Malmo.
But it has made its rules on performers brandishing flags stricter in an attempt to preserve the political neutrality of the contest and stop singers expressing support for Palestinians.
Eric Saade, the Swedish singer-songwriter, dodged the ban by wearing a Keffiyeh scarf, a common symbol of pro-Palestinian support, on his wrist at the semi-finals of the contest last year.
Eurovision has now banned singers from waving all flags, except for national ones, during performances or at official events linked to the competition and involving performers.
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