The Eurovision Song Contest has returned to Vienna amid simmering tensions and a crisis surrounding Israel's participation. The event began on Tuesday with a tense start, including a protest scheduled hours before the first semi-final featuring Israel.
Five countries, including Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, the Netherlands, and Iceland, are boycotting this year's contest due to Israel's military offensive in Gaza. Other countries have also stated they will not be taking part.
Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia have doubled down on their refusal to participate by opting not to broadcast the grand final on Saturday. Instead, the Slovenian broadcaster RTV will show the program series "Voices of Palestine," while Ireland will air a Eurovision-themed episode of the sitcom "Father Ted."
The competition is also testing new public-voting rules introduced to address complaints about Israel's ability to mobilize votes in the last competition.