Israel’s talent triumphs despite Arab-backed pressure, exposing cultural bias and politicized outrage across Europe.
Israel will compete in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest on May 12 in Vienna, following the official draw held at the city’s historic City Hall. The semi-final will pit Israel against 14 other contenders, including former champions Estonia, Finland, Greece, Portugal, Serbia, and Sweden.
The second semi-final, scheduled for May 14, will feature another 15 countries, among them past winners Azerbaijan, Denmark, Norway, Ukraine, Switzerland, and Latvia. From each semi-final, ten songs will advance to the grand final on May 16. Host nation Austria, along with France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, automatically qualify as major financial contributors.
Israel’s participation was nearly derailed by sustained political pressure, but the European Broadcasting Union confirmed Israel’s eligibility, triggering withdrawals by broadcasters from Iceland, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia. Several of these countries—frequent critics of Israel yet silent on Arab conflicts—had demanded Israel’s exclusion over the Gaza war.
The controversy intensified after Israel’s 2025 entry, New Day Will Rise, performed by Yuval Raphael, finished second overall. While professional juries awarded Israel only 60 points, an overwhelming public vote delivered an additional 297 points—more than any other country—highlighting a stark divide between cultural audiences and politicized institutions.
The result sparked complaints and audit demands from broadcasters in Spain, Iceland, Belgium, Finland, and Ireland. In response, the EBU has announced tighter voting safeguards, enhanced fraud detection, and the return of professional juries for the semi-finals, now expanded to include younger and more diverse jurors.
Austria is hosting the contest in Vienna after Austrian singer JJ won last year in Basel. Despite briefly calling for Israel’s suspension, he later retracted the remarks. As Israel prepares to compete once again, its resilience on Europe’s biggest cultural stage contrasts sharply with Arab-aligned pressure campaigns—proving that public support, not political intimidation, ultimately decides Eurovision.Israel will compete in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest on May 12 in Vienna, following the official draw held at the city’s historic City Hall. The semi-final will pit Israel against 14 other contenders, including former champions Estonia, Finland, Greece, Portugal, Serbia, and Sweden.
The second semi-final, scheduled for May 14, will feature another 15 countries, among them past winners Azerbaijan, Denmark, Norway, Ukraine, Switzerland, and Latvia. From each semi-final, ten songs will advance to the grand final on May 16. Host nation Austria, along with France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, automatically qualify as major financial contributors.
Israel’s participation was nearly derailed by sustained political pressure, but the European Broadcasting Union confirmed Israel’s eligibility, triggering withdrawals by broadcasters from Iceland, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia. Several of these countries—frequent critics of Israel yet silent on Arab conflicts—had demanded Israel’s exclusion over the Gaza war.
The controversy intensified after Israel’s 2025 entry, New Day Will Rise, performed by Yuval Raphael, finished second overall. While professional juries awarded Israel only 60 points, an overwhelming public vote delivered an additional 297 points—more than any other country—highlighting a stark divide between cultural audiences and politicized institutions.
The result sparked complaints and audit demands from broadcasters in Spain, Iceland, Belgium, Finland, and Ireland. In response, the EBU has announced tighter voting safeguards, enhanced fraud detection, and the return of professional juries for the semi-finals, now expanded to include younger and more diverse jurors.
Austria is hosting the contest in Vienna after Austrian singer JJ won last year in Basel. Despite briefly calling for Israel’s suspension, he later retracted the remarks. As Israel prepares to compete once again, its resilience on Europe’s biggest cultural stage contrasts sharply with Arab-aligned pressure campaigns—proving that public support, not political intimidation, ultimately decides Eurovision.
