During the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden, Israel's contestant, Eden Golan, received a mixed response of applause and boos after her performance, reflecting earlier protests against Israel's participation.
The tense atmosphere intensified during the subsequent press conference when a Polish journalist posed a controversial question to the Israeli singer:
"Have you ever considered that your presence poses a risk to other participants and the public?"
The moderator, SVT's Jovan Radomir, quickly intervened, stating that Golan was not obligated to answer, an interaction reported by the Swedish news channel TV4 Nyheterna.
Dutch artist Joost Klein unexpectedly spoke up, asking, "Why not?" when Radomir suggested the question could be disregarded.
Despite initial reluctance, Eden Golan decided to respond:
"We are all here for a reason. The European Broadcasting Union has taken every precaution to ensure this event is safe for everyone. I believe it is safe for everyone here."
Her answer received applause from those present.
The grand finale of the Eurovision Song Contest is set for Saturday at 21:00 CET.
