The Eurovision Festival 2026 will have Israeli representation in the grand final on Saturday. Israeli singer Noam Bettan managed to qualify with his song “Michelle” during the first semifinal held in Vienna, on a night marked by both music and the political tension surrounding Israel's participation.
Bettan delivered an energetic and confident performance, accompanied by five dancers and a modern production dominated by bright structures and black leather costumes. The song, written alongside Nadav Aharoni, Tzlil Klifi, and former Israeli participant Yuval Raphael, was chosen among the top ten of the semifinal and officially advanced to the final on May 16.
After the performance, Bettan appeared emotional in front of KAN 11 cameras, wrapped in an Israeli flag and sending a direct message to Israel and Jewish communities around the world. “When there were boos against us, they were drowned out by something much stronger: humanity and love,” he stated. He also claimed that his goal was “to make Israelis and Jews around the world proud”.
The Israeli qualification comes amid a particularly hostile climate within the European contest. After Israel's success last year —when Yuval Raphael won the televote and finished second in the competition— several countries questioned the voting system and promoted changes in the rules that made it more difficult for Israel to advance in the semifinals.
