Eden Golan said she had to wear a disguise in Malmo when she was there for her appearance in the Eurovision Song Contest last May. In a heartfelt post on her Instagram page on Thursday, Golan said she wore a wig and glasses to alter her appearance out of safety concerns amid anti-Israeli protests in the Swedish city.
"Two months have passed since the Eurovision final. Two months since the crazy journey that became my national and personal mission. An emotional, powerful, complex, challenging, and strengthening journey in a year I knew would be unlike any other," Golan wrote, "I thought long about which picture to share here and chose a moment that initially seemed absurd and funny to me – but no less scary and dangerous. Many know that we were surrounded by the best security guards available to protect our delegation, but they don't know about these moments when I had to disguise myself so that no one would harm me when we went outside."
She added, "The fear that they would recognize me because of the country I come from, which is a part of me and which I am proud to represent every day anew, is incomprehensible to me. Sadly, we have returned to times when a Jewish and Israeli woman must hide so that she won't be harmed. For me, this was a moment I will remember all my life. I know that better days will come. I pray every day that they will arrive. We will never forget what we went through, but I hope that we will all find strength and unite."