May 19, 2019

Netherlands wins Eurovision, ultra-orthodox Jews protest against "the abomination show"

BBC has nicely rounded-up Eurovision 2019 contest held in Tel Aviv last week. The Netherlands' Duncan Laurence, bookmakers' favourite, has won the contest with the grandiose piano-ballad 'Arcade'. Madonna performed at the show, sending a message of peace - two of her dancers, wearing Israeli and Palestinian flags - walked arm in arm (video here). Organisers said that part of her show was not approved in advance (would they approve a message of war?!?). Thousands of ultra-Orthodox men demonstrated Saturday in central Jerusalem against the desecration of Shabbat, the Jewish weekly rest day (shouldn't they rest, rather than demonstrate then?!?), as Tel Aviv was getting ready for the Eurovision finals. Protesters said the rally is against "the horrible desecration of Shabbat in the holy land, and against the abomination show going on in Tel Aviv."