Israeli singer Eden Golan reaches the Eurovision final

Israeli singer Eden Golan reached the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, after a public vote.

The 20-year-old singer, whose emotional Hurricane was reworked from an earlier song called October Rain, which was thought to reference Hamas attacks on Israel, performed in the semi-finals on Thursday night.

Earlier in the day, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters walked through the streets of Malmo from Stortorget to Molleplatsen to show their support for Gaza and condemn Israel’s participation in Eurovision amid the war in the Gaza Strip.

Golan opened with a backbend, before launching into her song and receiving applause and cheers from the audience while wearing a flowy sand-colored dress.

Event organizers had said they would not “censor” the audience after Golan was booed during rehearsals on Wednesday and there were reportedly chants of “Free Palestine.”

Switzerland’s Nemo, whose operatic pop song The Code is considered one of the favorites to win on Saturday, reached the final along with Dutchman Joost Klein, with his irreverent and silly Europapa, and Norway’s Gate with his folk Ulveham.

Also reaching the final were Dons from Latvia, Kaleen from Austria, Marina Satti from Greece, 5Miinust x Puuluup from Estonia, Nutsa Buzaladze from Georgia and Ladaniva from Armenia.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), whose members approved the Israeli broadcaster Kan, has, as in previous years, taken a firm stance against political messages in Eurovision and flags and symbols of non-competing countries.

Despite the position, in Tuesday’s first semi-final former Swedish contestant and opening act Eric Saade wore material with a keffiyeh pattern on his arm, commonly used by people who want to show that they are pro-Palestinian.