’80s Music Legend Boy George Welcomes Israeli Eurovision Contestant Noam Bettan

Boy George said withdrawing from Eurovision would mean abandoning his Jewish friends.

By Shula Rosen

As protests and boycott campaigns continued over Israel’s participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, music star Boy George publicly showed support for Israeli contestant Noam Bettan during rehearsals in Austria.

Video shared online showed Boy George embracing Bettan backstage and offering words of encouragement ahead of the competition, which has faced mounting controversy following the European Broadcasting Union’s decision to keep Israel in the contest.

Several countries — including Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Spain, and Slovenia — withdrew from Eurovision in protest. Despite the pressure, the EBU rejected calls to bar Israel from participating.

Bettan, who has continued preparing for the competition under heavy security, described appearing at Eurovision as a “privilege” and previously compared the atmosphere surrounding the contest to entering “the lion’s den.”

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Boy George met Israeli Eurovision contestant Noam Bettan and wished him good luck ahead of the competition. 🇮🇱 🇸🇲 pic.twitter.com/qmp0GntI48

— ILTV Israel News (@ILTVNews) May 6, 2026

Boy George, whose real name is George Alan O’Dowd, is an English singer of Irish descent best known as the former lead vocalist of the ’80s group Culture Club. Representing San Marino at this year’s Eurovision, he has repeatedly dismissed demands that he boycott the event over Israel’s inclusion.

Responding to critics online, the singer said withdrawing from Eurovision would mean abandoning his Jewish friends.

“It’s not going to happen, it’s never going to happen,” he wrote.

The singer has also spoken publicly against antisemitism in Britain following the recent stabbing attack in Golders Green, a London neighborhood with a large Jewish population.

“My heart goes out to the two Jewish victims and to their loved ones. We need to make our Jewish community know we support them,” Boy George wrote after the attack.

He later added, “Even before I knew what had happened, I was in tears because you could feel panic in the air. These are just regular people getting on with their lives. London has always been a great multicultural city. Our Jewish community brings us so much. They are an integral part of the fabric of this city.”