The reason for these apparent anomalies is that entry to the Eurovision Song Contest is open to all members of the European Broadcasting Union , a group containing states in North Africa and the Middle East . Indeed , Tunisia had intended to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 1977 , and would therefore have been involved in many of these " firsts " had it not pulled out beforehand . Subsequently , Lebanon also intended to compete in 2005 and had selected and recorded a song before withdrawing being unable to guarantee the broadcast of the Israeli entry , a move which incurred a fine and a ban from the contest until 2009
Eurovision Song Contest 1977
Eurovision Song Contest 1977
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