Tel Aviv - 18 May 2019

1. Various of protesters holding signs showing Israeli soldiers in the West Bank

2. Various of protesters sitting

3. Mid of police moving protesters away

4. Various of protestors with signs showing Israeli soldiers in the West Bank

5 . SOUNDBITE (English) Shahaf Weisbein, Protester:

"We are feminist, queer and anarchist activists that are here protesting Eurovision and protesting pinkwashing that it is. We're against what it means to use Eurovision as a machine to market Israel as this place that is good for tourism. That is multicultural. That is diverse when in fact it's an apartheid state. And we're here to remind the idea of the occupation that you cannot put glitter and songs and pretend it's not an apartheid state."

6. Various of protesters and signs

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Liad Rabinowitz, Israeli Eurovision fan:

"I'm not sure this is the right step to start the process for peace and to start a positive process at all. I think this is not the way, there are other ways. We know that Benjamin Netanyahu is not a good Prime Minister, but that's what we have here unfortunately, but we think it will improve and it will change and I'm really optimist about the situation."

8. Various of protestors and signs chanting SOUNDBITE (English) "one, two, three, four, occupation no more"

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sylvia Gerits, Dutch Eurovision fan:

"They say it's apartheid. I know it's about the Palestinian issue. My vision is that it's a big problem and it should be solved in a way which is good for both parties, for both sides. Of course it is a big problem. On the other hand, I'm here experiencing a great country. The Israelis are great, so I won't judge the people and normal people around me. But it's a great pity when this sort of protest... it's more or less justified that this should be a solution to the problem, for the Palestinian problem is for me very normal."

10. Gerits walking away

A small group of protesters gathered outside the venue of the Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel to draw attention to what they say is a political environment at odds with the image portrayed in Europe's annual music extravaganza.

A dozen protesters outside Tel Aviv's Expo Center held placards showing Israeli soldiers in the West Bank and said Israel is portraying an image of a peaceful country while it breaches the human rights of Palestinians.

One protestor, Shahaf Weisbein, said they were there to remind people "you cannot put glitter and songs and pretend it's not an apartheid state".

Eurovision will crown one of 26 entries with dreams of following in the footsteps of past winners such as Swedish pop icons ABBA and Celine Dion, who represented Switzerland.

Israel earned the right to host the show after Netta Barzilai carried off last year's prize with her spunky pop anthem "Toy".

The show of European unity brings together acts from 41 countries, including those with little connection to Europe, such as Australia.

The final round's winner will be influenced by TV viewers casting votes via text messages.