by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
JERUSALEM/VIENNA (Worthy News) – Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time Saturday, while Israel finished second in a final overshadowed by boycotts and protests over Israel’s participation amid the war in Gaza.
Bulgaria’s entry, “Bangaranga,” performed by pop singer Dara, topped the voting after points from national juries and the public were combined during the 70th edition of the world’s largest televised music competition.
Israel’s trilingual pop song “Michelle,” performed by Noam Bettan, surged near the top after receiving strong audience support despite scattered boos inside Vienna’s Stadthalle arena and weeks of political controversy surrounding Israel’s participation.
Five countries — Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia, and initially the Netherlands — refused to participate or send delegations in protest against Israel’s involvement in the contest. The Netherlands later decided to broadcast the event from Vienna, Austria’s capital, but without a Dutch delegation.
The tensions reflected wider European divisions over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people and triggered the ongoing war.
ISRAEL EUROVISION CONTROVERSY
Despite mounting pressure and calls for Israel to be excluded from Eurovision, Bettan delivered what supporters described as a flawless performance Saturday night.
Israel briefly moved into first place during the public voting segment after receiving 220 audience points and 123 jury points. Poland’s jury awarded Israel the maximum 12 points.
Some boos were heard as Israel climbed the scoreboard and a Palestinian flag was seen, echoing tensions seen during earlier rounds of the competition.
Speaking afterward to Israel’s KAN broadcaster, Bettan said: “Wow, wow, wow. That was crazy… I felt I gave 100 percent in real time.”
The 28-year-old singer from Ra’anana performed “Michelle” in English, French, and Hebrew, offering a more upbeat and less politically charged entry than Israel’s previous Eurovision songs linked to the aftermath of the Hamas attacks.
SOCIAL MEDIA DISPUTE
This year, the delegation from KAN, the Israeli public broadcaster sponsoring Israel’s participation in Eurovision, reportedly received a reprimand from Eurovision managing director Martin Green over social media posts promoting Bettan.
“It may seem absurd that in a flashy extravaganza in which millions are spent and earned — with nearly one euro charged for every vote cast — it is forbidden to promote artists on social media, but that’s Europe in 2026 when it comes to Israel,” The Jerusalem Post newspaper commented.
“Media campaigns for contestants from other countries, both this year and last year, went unremarked upon,” the newspaper added.
The paper also praised Bettan’s stage performance, saying “the only sound worth listening to was Bettan’s singing,” while describing images of the Israeli singer “standing tall, indifferent to the scattered boos,” surrounded by dancers performing around a revolving diamond centerpiece.
This year’s Eurovision became one of the contest’s most politically divisive editions in recent history.
PROTESTS OVERSHADOW CONTEST
Anti-Israel demonstrations were held in Vienna during the final weekend, including protests against Israel’s participation, organized by pro-Palestinian activists.
Israel alleged a coordinated international campaign to isolate the country from the event.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes Eurovision, rejected demands to expel Israel but introduced rule changes affecting voting procedures and promotion campaigns following controversies during previous contests.
Australia’s “Eclipse,” performed by Delta Goodrem, finished third, while Finland — among the favorites to win — ended outside the top five.
Eurovision, known for its flamboyant stage shows and usually lighthearted atmosphere, has increasingly faced political tensions linked to Europe’s divisions over the Middle East conflict.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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