Eden Golan, the singer who captured hearts at the Eurovision Song Contest, has opened up about the extreme measures she had to take to ensure her safety in Malmö, Sweden.
Golan revealed that due to severe security threats against the Israeli delegation, she was forced to go incognito, just two months after her memorable performance that earned her fifth place in the competition.
Golan’s disclosure, made in a heartfelt Instagram post, comes two months after she secured fifth place in the Eurovision Song Contest.
"It has been two months since the Eurovision final," Golan wrote. "Two months since the crazy journey that became both a national and personal mission for me. An emotional, powerful, complex, difficult, and strengthening journey in a year that I knew would be different from any other year. I thought a lot about which picture to share here and chose a moment that initially seemed absurd and funny to me—but no less frightening and dangerous. Many know that we were surrounded by the best security guards to protect our delegation, but they don't know about these moments when I had to disguise myself to avoid harm when we went outside."
Golan detailed how she was forced to walk around Malmö wearing a wig and glasses out of fear for her safety. "The fear that I would be recognized because of the country I come from, which is a part of me and which I am proud to represent every day, is unimaginable to me," she added.
Her post poignantly reflects on the unsettling reality that she faced – "It's sad that we've returned to times when a Jewish and Israeli woman has to hide to avoid harm. For me, it was a moment I will never forget. I know better days will come. I pray every day that they will. We will never forget what we went through, but I hope that we all become stronger and united together."
* Kann News contributed to this article.