Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated this year's representative of the country in the song contest "Eurovision", reported DPA, quoted by BTA.
20-year-old Eden Golan was met with some hostility in the Swedish city of Malmö, where the final of the competition took place yesterday. Protests against Israel's involvement in the Gaza war overshadowed the usual jovial atmosphere at this year's event.
During the performance of her song "Hurricane", which reflects the grief of the killings of civilians in Israel carried out on October 7 last year by the Palestinian extremist organization "Hamas", Golan was booed. After all, the Israeli singer finished in fifth place.
Netanyahu spoke on the phone with Golan and told her:
„What a success, what an honor, it's something great – Well done! They were booing her, and we were yelling “Dozen!“
The prime minister said he told the young singer that the most important thing was that she almost got the highest result in the TV viewers' vote. "That's what's important, not the jury. Despite the haters, Golan conquered Europe," he said.
"I felt proud and honored to represent our country at such a time," said the singer herself after her performance at the competition. She dedicated her participation and her song to the hostages taken captive by "Hamas".