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Israel Finishes Second at Eurovision 2026 as Five Countries Boycott
Israel placed second at the Eurovision Song Contest final held in Vienna. Five countries withdrew from the event in protest over Israel's participation. Bulgarian contestant Dara won the competition.
May 17, 10:35 AM·1m read1 source
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Bulgarian entrant Dara won the contest with the song "Bangaranka." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Bettan after the result. Netanyahu told Bettan that the nation was proud of his performance and expressed gratitude for representing the country.
Background to the Event The European Broadcasting Union decided in December to allow Israel to participate despite calls from some countries to exclude it. Five nations — Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland — withdrew from the contest in protest.
The European Broadcasting Union had previously changed its rules after last year's final to prevent governments from running promotional campaigns for contestants. Israel also placed second in the 2025 contest.
Bettan received both cheers and boos during the performance. Several hundred demonstrators gathered near the venue before the final. Austrian authorities kept streets around the venue open while monitoring the demonstration. Police officers from across the country were deployed to the area during the week.
Belgian broadcaster VRT said it is considering not participating in next year's contest. A spokesperson stated there is little chance the broadcaster will send an artist and called for a vote on participating countries.
