But the choice of Tel Aviv as host has stoked months of controversy geopolitically, and consternation among pop stars sympathetic to the rival Israeli and Palestinian causes. How far those rival initiatives -- and the vociferous clamour of Pink Floyd's Roger Waters and British singer Peter Gabriel against Israel playing host -- will steal the limelight from the contest is open to debate. Favourite Duncan Laurence hopes to end a 44-year drought for Holland in the long-running spectacle, when he sits at the piano to sing his power ballad "Arcade". And despite only coming into the competition in the last few years, Australia is ranked as the second strongest contender by the bookies. But a recent escalation of tensions between Israel and Hamas, rulers of the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, appears to have cooled going into the Eurovision finals.

Source: Bangkok Post May 18, 2019 01:41 UTC