Swedish-Palestinian singer Eric Saade at Eurovision wearing a Palestinian Koufiyyeh on his wrist on May 7, 2024. (Social media)

Swedish-Palestinian singer Eric Saade opened the first semi-final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, wearing a Koufiyyeh wrapped around his wrist, a national symbol for the Palestinians in opposing the Israeli occupier.

Saade, who came in third in the 2011 contest, performed his 2011 Eurovision song "Popular".

Ok #Eurovision .. u decided to cancel Eric Saade bc he had a keffiyeh tied to his arm. We will make him go global
Share his song people & hell with ziovision.. pic.twitter.com/vref2huv2V
— Abier (@abierkhatib) May 8, 2024

He previously expressed anger at the ban on the Palestinian flag during Eurovision and condemned how the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has dealt with the situation involving Israeli participation.

Eurovision organizers angered

Eurovision’s organizers have said they "regret" that an artist chose to wear a Koufiyyeh at the opening.

A spokesperson for the EBU, which organizes the event, said, "The Eurovision Song Contest is a live TV show."

"All performers are made aware of the rules of the Contest, and we regret that Eric Saade chose to compromise the non-political nature of the event," they added.

Eurovision banned Palestinian flag

According to The Independent, the organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest announced on May 2 that they have the right to prohibit any Palestinian flags and pro-Palestine symbols from the performance in Sweden.

The declaration came amid rising criticism about "Israel's" participation in the annual music competition following its seven-month assault on Gaza.

Pro-Palestine activists were scheduled to hold major protests in Malmo, where the event is occurring, protesting the participation of the occupation.

Eurovision rejected in January demands to disqualify "Israel" from the competition, despite the death toll of its genocidal war exceeding 34,000 Palestinians at the time, the majority being women and children.

Michelle Roverelli, the head of communications for the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the program each year, stated that ticket holders are only permitted to carry and display flags of nations that participate in the event, as well as the rainbow flag.

The Geneva-based EBU maintains the authority "to remove any other flags or symbols, clothing, items, and banners being used for the likely purpose of instrumentalizing the TV shows," Roverelli told The Associated Press.