Organizers of the Eurovision song contest announced Thursday that next year's competition will be held in Tel Aviv, clearing up some of the political controversy surrounding Israel's hosting of the 2019 competition.
The Israeli government had initially insisted on holding the popular event in Jerusalem. But following a backlash over the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as its capital and a subsequent fear of boycotts it dropped the demand to host the world's largest live music event in the holy city.
The Eurovision said it chose Tel Aviv, Israel's cultural and commercial epicenter, over Jerusalem and the southern city of Eilat because of its "creative and compelling bid."
"The Eurovision is a perfect fit for our city, which has been internationally acclaimed for its vibrant energy, creative spirit, its lively cultural scene and its celebration of freedom," said Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai. "We are looking forward to hosting a joyful and nonstop event in the spirit of Tel Aviv."
Israel won the Eurovision this year with a flashy pop tune called "Toy" by the charismatic, previously unknown singer Netta Barzilai, who dazzled viewers with her feminist lyrics, unconventional appearance and signature chicken dance. Her victory earned Israel the right to host next year's conwwww.
In Europe, capital cities have usually played host. But Jerusalem is not recognized as Israel's capital by most of the international community. Hosting the competition in Jerusalem could have presented a predicament for the public broadcasters that make up the European Broadcasting Union, sparking criticism that they would be taking sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Palestinian-led BDS campaign – which advocates boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel – called for the Eurovision contest to be boycotted altogether if it is held in Israel.
Omar Barghouti, the organization's co-founder, said Eurovision's decision "dealt a severe blow" to Israel's "illegal claim of sovereignty over the city," and called for the Tel Aviv event to be boycotted "as there should be no business as usual with Israeli apartheid."
Last week, over 100 artists signed an open letter that ran in Britain's Guardian newspaper and called to boycott the event if it took place in Israel as planned.
Israel held the Eurovision contest in Jerusalem without incident following its previous victories, most recently in 1999. Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev lobbied hard for Jerusalem to host the event again, saying Israel, and no one else, should decide where the event should take place.
She recommended Israel not host the Eurovision at all if Jerusalem was not chosen.
But following the Argentine national football team's snub of an exhibition game in the city earlier this year Israel backed off its insistence. Fearful of being accused of politicizing the feel-good event, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resolved that the government would not intervene.
Israel's internal culture wars have also seeped into the Eurovision show, with an ultra-Orthodox member of Netanyahu's coalition government urging the government to prevent Shabbat from being desecrated. The finale usually takes place on a Saturday night, shortly after the end of the Shabbat, meaning that preparations for the show could violate the sacred day.
By choosing Tel Aviv, the Eurovision appears to have made a safer bet. The coastal city is a top international tourist draw, far more associated with its vibrant nightlife than its politics. It boasts Israel's most rabid Eurovision fan base.
Fans flooded Tel Aviv's Rabin Square in front of City Hall, with some euphorically jumping into a public fountain, after Barzilai was announced the winner this year in Portugal. The City Hall building was lit up to spell "Toy" and electronic signs throughout the city congratulated her.
Tel Aviv, hosting the event for the first time, says it expects around 20,000 tourists to arrive and generate an estimated of NIS 100 million ($28 million) in direct revenues from the campy, gay-friendly spectacle.
The Eurovision says its semi-finals will be held in Tel Aviv on May 14 and 16 followed by the Grand Final on May 18.
Meanwhile, although the saga of choosing the venue is over, Eurovision enthusiasts were already preparing for the next crisis: getting their hands on tickets to the event.
According to officials familiar with the details, Pavilion 2 at the Tel Aviv Convention Center only has a capacity of 9,000.
The customarily grandiose Eurovision stage and the "green room" area for the performers are expected to take up a lot of room and erase around 2,000 of those seats.
Of the 7,000 remaining tickets, only 4,000 will be available for sale to the general public, with the rest slated for the delegations, the European Broadcasting Union and the Israeli producers.
"There's going to be huge hysteria here, a lot like the Argentina-Israel game, and it will leave more than a few disappointed people without a ticket to the final," said one official, adding that the scarcity of tickets could "hurt the number of tourists who come."
Tickets to the semi-finals and general rehearsals, however, are expected to be more accessible. At this stage it still isn't clear when the tickets will go on sale but in recent years the Eurovision has launched ticket sales in December. Past tickets have cost between 100-300 euros ($117-$350).
The Eurovision has previously provided Israel with some cultural touchstones.
"Hallelujah" became the country's unofficial national song after it won the contest for Israel when it hosted the event in the late 1970s, and Dana International became a national hero and global transgender icon when she won with "Diva" in 1998.
