Deal reached to ensure Eurovision will be held in Israel

14 August 2018, 5:05 pm

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After a long period of doubt whether Israel would host the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in the country, a last-ditch deal ensures that the popular international competition will be coming to the holy land after all.

Holding last-minute discussions as the deadline for submitting a guarantee of €12 million ($14 million) was approaching, representatives of the public broadcaster Kan on Tuesday accepted a proposal by the Finance Ministry, meaning that Eurovision will officially be held in Israel.

Kan will transfer the required money to the European Broadcasting Union, it said, after the Finance Ministry promised to reimburse the broadcaster if Eurovision is eventually not held in Israel for reasons out of Kan’s hands.

— Michael Bachner