Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest 1999 Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest 1999 Lithuania returned to the Eurovision Song Contest in 1999, having withdrawn after their debut entry in 1994. Lithuania's second Eurovision entry came from Aistė, who performed "Strazdas" (The song thrush) at the 1999 Contest in Jerusalem, Israel. For Lithuania's return to Eurovision after five years, the Lithuanian broadcaster Lietuvos radijas ir televizija (LRT) held a national final to select the second Lithuanian entry. The contest was held on 27 December 1998, but was not broadcast on television until 31 December, and was recorded in the capital Vilnius, hosted by Vilija Grigonyte and Vytautas
United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel called for a boycott of American products. Anwar Abbas, a leading Muslim cleric of Indonesian Council of Ulema, read the petition calling for the boycott. On December 27, the Iranian government became the first Muslim nation that passed a bill recognizing Jerusalem as capital of Palestine. Hundreds of Muslims attended the Friday prayers outside the White House, in response to calls by American Muslim organizations. They wore Palestinian keffiyeh or colours of Palestinian flag, with protesters holding placards denouncing Israeli presence in East Jerusalem and West Bank. Protests were held against the decision in Times Square, by hundreds of pro-Palestinian