Icelandic public broadcaster RUV will be fined because the band it entered at the Eurovision Song Contest displayed scarves with Palestinian flags at the contest in Israel.

Read more: Opinion: Should the Eurovision Song Contest be politicized?

Icelandic band Hatari held up the Palestinian colors when the final results were being announced at the contest, which was held in Tel Aviv.

The European Broadcasting Union said the act violated the competition's ban on political statements. They did not mention the size of the fine.

Hatari is an anti-capitalist, sadomasochistic, techno-dystopian performance art collective that carries a political message, according to the description of the band on the Eurovision website.

"Hatari is a political, multimedia project that aims to take the lid off the relentless, unfolding scam that is everyday life," the description reads.

During the 2019 Eurovision, Madonna also courted controversy when her dancers carried Israeli and Palestinian flags on their costumes.

Israel hosted the event this year because Israeli singer Netta Barzilai won the contest the previous year.

Next year's Eurovision Song Contest will be held in the Netherlands.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Switzerland: Luca Hanni — 'She Got Me' This guy looks good, dances well, and when he sings, rhythm seems to radiate from every cell in his body. His voice is engaging too. Switzerland's multitalented entry has been a favorite in the field of Eurovision betting. And from the audience in the Tel Aviv Expo Hall, Luca Hanni gets just about the strongest applause of any contender.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Cyprus: Tamta — 'Replay' With so many acts to follow, it's tough starting off the first semifinal, but Tamta made it to the next round. At the climax of her cool, seductive dance number, male dancers rip off her black leather jacket to reveal a white bejeweled corset beneath. "Them sheets need my body tonight," she sings, "You need my love on replay."

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Czech Republic: Lake Malawi – 'Friend of a Friend' A light, fun pop number by the three-boy band Lake Malawi exploits the cute factor. Lead vocalist Albert Cerny's trademark yellow sweater has a high recognition factor. The country sent a young, acrobatic singer last year too, and he did well.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Australia: Kate Miller-Heidke — 'Zero Gravity' Clearly not afraid of heights or prone to dizzy spells, Miller-Heidke issues forth her fluttering high notes while wafting through outer space. The audience in the arena see her and two acrobats tied to long, swaying poles, but in the television version, the performers soar above the earth. The song is about lifting oneself out of depression.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Estonia: Victor Crone — 'Storm' "But when it all calms down / We're still safe and sound," Crone sings while holding a guitar, both feet firmly on the ground. The song could have come from an American showbiz city like Nashville or Los Angeles, which is no coincidence: Crone worked in the music business in both those places. He has a ballad of quiet confidence to soothe the spirit, and juries and televoters lap it up.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Iceland: Hatari — 'Hate Will Prevail' Five singers and dancers cavort in BDSM fetish garb in front of a spherical iron cage, atop of which a grim figure beats away with a sledgehammer. Tapping into the present current of anti-establishment feelings, Hatari sings in Icelandic, "Europe will crumble / A web of lies / Will arise from the ashes." However, the song is more about ridding the world of lies and deception than nihilism.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries San Marino: Serhat — 'Say Na Na Na' But just what is the mood in Europe? Do people want to smash the prevailing order or to party? This tiny country places its bets on the latter. At the semifinal, Serhat's voice was obscured by the mix, but that didn't keep the Turkish-born TV personality and trained dentist from advancing to the final round. The song's simple message — or complete lack of one — didn't hurt.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Belarus: ZENA — 'Like It' No need to plumb profound depths in this one either. The colorful and happy dance number is delivered by a singer who is just 16 years old but is very poised. She is joined by two male dancers doing breathtaking acrobatics.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Serbia: Nevena Bozovic — 'Crown' Eurovision has nearly defined the "power ballad" genre, emotional songs about love. They're often delivered by sultry blondes who toss their hair and underline their expression with sweeping gestures. ESC 2019 has one, too — and the swirls of color in the backdrop make it visually interesting to viewers from the get-go. It's a piece calculated to do well, at least by ESC standards,

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Slovenia: Zala Kralj and Gasper Santl — 'Sebi' For three long minutes on a darkened stage, a single melody sounds over and over again. It comes from a breathy, fragile voice, and the singer and guitarist gaze constantly into each other's eyes. Minimalism is almost an understatement here. Are Zala and Gasper a love couple or not? "Just friends," she says. He contradicts, perhaps seeking to underline the song's authenticity.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Greece: Katerine Duska — 'Better Love' The Greek-Canadian singer has a husky voice that makes you want to hear more of it from the very beginning. "I won't fight this / Burning feeling inside / Gotta get / Better love," sings Duska as backup dancers in diaphanous gowns wield swords and a pleasant lavender floral motif unfolds on the LED screen behind them.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Germany: S!sters — 'Sister' In an age of apparent self-absorption, two friends discover that together, they can be stronger. Germany's entry speaks about female competition giving way to solidarity. As with the entries from most countries, the television audience in Germany was involved in the choice to send the duo to the competition. As Laura and Carlotta have gained experience, their performance has increasingly shone.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Malta: Michela — 'Chameleon' Only 18, the singer is signed to Sony Music. The cool dance number is catchy, and the set is stark, simplistic and changes color nearly every second.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Norway: KEiiNO — 'Spirit In The Sky' With three singers, including Fred-Rene Buljo (above), the song veers from one style to the next and includes yoik singing, a traditional chant-like style from the Sami people in the country's extreme north. As though calculated to spread the risk-taking, the song seems to have something for every taste; it has caught on with audiences and visiting journalists.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries North Macedonia: Tamara Todevska — 'Proud' "Girl / They will try to tell you what to do / Don't be afraid to spread your wings and fly," sings Todevska, who has dedicated this feminist hymn to her two children.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Spain: Miki — 'The Blindfold' The 23-year-old singer was shaped musically in part as the front man of the band Dalton Bang, which combines Catalan rumba and Latin percussion. He has spent nearly a decade delivering performances with the high energy of a fiesta. This Spanish-language song has that pulse, too.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Albania: Jonida Maliqi — 'Return to the Land' This catchy song with inflections of Balkan folk music is interpreted by a versatile singer who performs at international festivals and hosts music and dance shows on Albanian TV. "So much nostalgia, so little hope / Return to your land / You know there is a heart waiting for you," she sings, at moments slightly off-key.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Sweden: John Lundvik — 'Too Late For Love' The singing gives you goosebumps, and the vocalist's bouncy and infectious charm leaves everyone smiling. John Lundvik is also a songwriter, having written the song for Michael Rice, his opponent from Great Britain. The smooth soul voice is backed up by a four-member female gospel choir, and the engaging song has the audience clapping to the rhythm at the refrain.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Azerbaijan: Chingiz — 'Truth' A rising star in his home country, Chingiz cavorts with robots onstage in a song about love disappointed.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Italy: Mahmood — 'Money' Mahmood is another of the top-ranked acts this year, and for good reason: He sings in Italian about a problematic father-son relationship and delivers the song with credibility, an attractive Italian semi-spoken, semi-sung style, and a refrain so catchy that everyone ends up humming it afterwards.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Russia: Sergey Lazarev — 'Scream' There are eight Sergeys in the stage production, including seven projections of the singer onto screens, all of which point to the 36-year-old Russian superstar's versatility. After nearly winning three years ago, the Russian with a mighty voice has returned to Eurovision with the intention of not just nearly winning this time. Many give him a serious chance of achieving that goal.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Great Britain: Michael Rice — 'Bigger Than Us' A song of love and hope with little dazzle but unquestionably one of the best voices this year. This is a song competition after all. No gimmicks, just quality singing. Does that suffice to propel Michael to the top?

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Denmark: Leonora — 'Love Is Forever' As the singer and her backup performers sway back and forth on a huge chair, the song unfolds a naive charm and casts a positive message in English, Danish, French and German. Twenty-year-old Leonora is a prizewinning figure skater. "Love is forever / Love is forever and everyone," she sings. Who could argue with that?

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries The Netherlands: Duncan Laurence — 'Arcade' Seated somewhat remotely at a piano, the artist relies on the camera for a close-up. No frills in the production, just a wistful ballad about a loved one who died too young. Although Duncan Laurence makes generous use of falsetto and his voice sometimes wavers, he has never budged from near or at the top spot among the bookies' favorites.

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries France: Bilal Hassani — 'King' Singing a ballad in a minor key about inclusion and self-determination, Bilal wears long blonde wig and white outfit and is flanked by two ballet dancers. Just so the message isn't lost, words are highlighted on the LED screen about tolerance and love, and "Only you can decide who you want to be."

Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries Israel: Kobi Marimi — 'Home' Bearing a resemblance to Freddie Mercury, Kobi sings "I'm coming home," symbolizing the contest coming to Israel after Netta's sensational win last year in Lisbon. Whereas Netta was freakish, cute and outlandish, Kobi's style is simple and straightforward. Author: Rick Fulker



cw/sms (AFP, dpa)

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