In pictures: Eurovision kicks off under a shadow of protests

Israel used the hugely popular song contest to rebrand itself as a tolerant country, but political conflict and controversy will not make that an easy task.

By Gizem Taşkın
Activists hold placards calling for the boycott of Eurovision along Israel's controversial separation barrier, which divides the West Bank from Jerusalem, during the 7th International Palestine Marathon in the biblical town of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank on 22 March 2019. / Getty Images

The 64th Eurovision Song Contest kicked off in Tel Aviv with an opening ceremony on Sunday despite calls to boycott the event. 

Earlier in the day, a dozen Israeli activists blocked the entrance of the venue to protest Israel's policies towards Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) has long been calling on artists and broadcasters to withdraw from the contest, saying the country is using the event to whitewash a brutal apartheid regime. 

Many musicians, including Sinead O'Connor, Elvis Costello, Andy Irvine, Paul Brady, Roger Waters and Lorde, also joined the call to boycott performances in Israel.

US music icon Madonna has come under pressure to cancel her performance at this year’s contest.  

There are also concerns that the event could be disrupted by recent violence.

Over the weekend, a surge of violence led to the deaths of at least 25 Palestinians and four Israelis.

For more than a half-century, Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories has resulted in systematic human rights violations against people living there.

The country earned the right to host Eurovision 2019 after Israeli singer Netta Barzilai won last year's competition with her #MeToo-inspired song "Toy".