"The Eurovision in Israel was already a highly politicized event, which was even pointed out by Netta, last year’s winner, who said after her win that “we have done something crazy [fantastic] for Israeli Hasbara”.  Just one small sign of this was how Kan, the Israeli public broadcaster, used the occasion for marketing occupied Palestinian and Syrian territories as “Israel”."

"As the bitter, decades-long conflict with Israel continues, the Palestinians’ traditional cuisine is under threat, as families have been separated from the farms and valleys that supplied their regional ingredients for hundreds of years. As a result, locals worry that their once-proud culinary identity is disappearing and their food is losing its distinct land-to-table flavour."

"Palestinian, Israeli and international artists have come together to put on a series of concerts as an alternative to the Eurovision Song Contest held in Tel Aviv, amid protests calling for a boycott of the music competition. The event, Globalvision, was held in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, Haifa, London and Dublin on Saturday and included live performances by Palestinian, Israeli and international artists."

"His performance is on a cinderblock stage, but 60 kilometres northwards along the shores of the Mediterranean, Israelis in Tel Aviv are being treated to a pop music spectacle featuring the likes of Madonna and other global stars. Gazavision, the event at which Okasha played on Tuesday, was an event protesting against Israel hosting the 2019 Eurovision song contest."

"The center of the village of Qazaza is a celebration, with men jovially drinking bitter coffee and children chasing after one another. My grandfather was one of these children, screaming in delight and trying not to trip over the bare earth. The village had gathered in a pre-celebration of a much anticipated wedding between my grandfather’s older brother, Abdulla, and a woman who was said to be of the most beautiful in the village."