Israeli contestant Eden Golan performed her song “Hurricane” at the Wednesday dress rehearsal for the second Eurovision semifinal on Thursday, while some in the crowd booed the singer.

Video posted to social media showed noisy disapproval as she took to the stage and during the quieter moments of her song.

However, there was also vociferous support and applause from many.

In a statement, Golan said, “I am proud to represent my country, particularly this year. I am receiving support and love and I am determined to give my best performance tomorrow in the semifinal and nothing will deter me from that goal!”

The Kan public broadcaster, the official Israeli body coordinating with the Eurovision contest, said in a statement that “Eden stood on the stage during the dress rehearsal with pride and gave an incredible performance. They did not silence her and they will not silence us. See you tomorrow.”

Israel is competing in the second semifinal on Thursday night for a shot at making it to Saturday night’s grand final.

Ahead of Golan’s performance, Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted to social media platform X: “We are incredibly proud of Eden Golan who is representing our country at Eurovision. She is not only an exceptional performer, but a symbol of strength and resilience. We love you Eden and our entire country is cheering you on.”

The competition has been overshadowed by protests against Israel’s participation due to the ongoing war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Golan has been largely confined to her hotel room throughout the week, with a heavy security detail amid a series of threats against the delegation. In an unusual move, the head of the Shin Bet visited Malmo last week to coordinate security ahead of the event.

Anti-Israel activists rallied for months to have Israel barred from the 2024 contest, a move the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the competition, rejected.

Eurovision organizers have been on high alert for disruptions and protests this week with the competition overshadowed by political conflict and major rallies expected in Malmo against Israel’s participation. The city has significantly beefed up its police presence, including bringing in reinforcements from Denmark and Norway, and has even cleared out local jail cells in case of mass arrests.

Protest action has also found its way on to the stage during an earlier semifinal on Tuesday, when Eurovision organizers rebuked a performer for displaying a keffiyeh.

Eric Saade — a Swedish singer and past Eurovision contestant who was one of the performers invited to take part in the opening act of the show on Tuesday — appeared on stage with his wrist wrapped in a keffiyeh, a Palestinian symbol often used in pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests.

At the culmination of Tuesday’s semifinal, 10 nations advanced to Saturday’s grand final, including the Israeli-born singer representing Luxembourg, Tali Golergant, who goes by the mononym Tali.

The competition is hugely popular in Israel, which has won it four times. Bookmakers rank this year’s entry in the top 10.

There has been a surge in pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests around the world since the outbreak of the war which erupted on October 7 when the Palestinian terror group Hamas led a massive cross-border attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people. The approximately 3,000 attackers also abducted 252 people and took them as hostages to the Gaza Strip.

Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel launched an offensive in Gaza to destroy Hamas, topple its regime, and free the hostages, of whom 128 remain in captivity.

Agencies contributed to this report.