Speaker of the Knesset Yuli-Yoel Edelstein (Likud) met Thursday morning with ambassadors to Israel of European Union countries. During the meeting at the home of Emanuele Giaufret, Head of the European Union Delegation to Israel, Speaker Edelstein addressed the protests in Europe against the scheduled broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held this year in Tel Aviv, in May.

"We always say that the Eurovision is [a cultural event] and should therefore be separated from politics, but this is a lie. They are connected to each other," Speaker Edelstein told the European envoys. "When the parliaments in Europe obsessively deal with criticizing Israeli policy, don't be surprised that the people translate this criticism to protests on the street against a cultural event."

Turning his attention to the recent desecration of a Jewish cemetery in eastern France, Speaker Edelstein said "anti-Semitism in Europe is growing. It is our job, and also your job, to eradicate it. Europe must show zero tolerance towards anti-Semitic incidents, before it will be too late."