Arabic version: إسرائيل تتقدم إلى نهائي يوروفيجن؛ إقصاء مشاركة بوي جورج
According to BBC News,
Israel have sailed through to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest with the lovestruck pop song “Michelle,” performed by 28-year-old Noam Bettan. The contest is currently taking place in Austria, and despite the festive spirit, it has faced backlash due to Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Five countries have boycotted the 2026 event, including seven-time winners Ireland.
During Tuesday’s semi-final, Bettan encountered a mixed reception. Some audience members booed and shouted anti-Israeli slogans, while others chanted his name in support. Bettan stated before the performance that he was determined to concentrate on the music and relegate any criticisms to “background noise.” The Australian broadcaster ORF, hosting the event, confirmed that it would not censor protests or negative reactions during the show.
Following the performance, ORF and Eurovision organizers the EBU noted that audience members had been “close to a microphone” and “loudly expressed their views” – both as Israel prepared to take the stage and during their song. They were later removed by security for continuing to disturb the audience. Bettan expressed gratitude to the audience after it was revealed he had progressed to Saturday’s final.
The semi-final saw ten countries qualify for the grand finale, including Finnish duo Pete Parkonnen and Linda Lampenius, whose tempestuous love song “Liekinheitin” (Flamethrower) is currently the favorite to win. British singer Boy George, who appeared as a guest performer on San Marino’s entry, did not advance as the entry failed to secure enough votes.
The contest’s voting process has been revised this year in response to accusations of voting irregularities in 2025. Changes include a limit of ten votes per viewer and the requirement of credit card details to ensure votes genuinely originate from the country in which they are submitted. The second semi-final will take place on Thursday, featuring entries from Denmark and France.
