Due to the tension in the security situation throughout the day Saturday, and in solidarity with the residents of southern Israel, the Modi’in-Maccabim-Reut Municipality in cooperation with the Home Front Command decided to postpone the event “Good Evening, Europe” that had been scheduled for 9 PM Saturday night at Anava Park.
The event was going to feature singers who had previously represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest, including Dana International, Ilanit and Yizhar Cohen.
In less than two weeks, on May 14-18, the Eurovision Song Contest events will be launched in Tel Aviv, at a huge hangar on the exhibition grounds, with a topnotch television production that will include 26 cameras, dozens of broadcast stations across Europe and an expected quarter of a billion viewers.
Reuters reported on Friday that the 42-nation event has been targeted by the BDS campaign which is pressuring governments, companies and performers to withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest 2019, arguing that holding it in Tel Aviv is “artwashing,” meaning whitewashing through the arts. It means that by supporting the magnificent, hyper-glitzy, state-of-the-arts shows in Tel Aviv, participants support Israel’s policies towards the Arabs of the PA and Gaza.
Now that the BDS has failed to ruin the prestigious event, terrorist groups from Gaza are attempting to scare away European participants using direct, raw warfare. Prime Minister Netanyahu is facing a difficult choice at this point: punish the terrorists now, as many Israelis are pushing for, or wait until after the song festival.