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He concluded the performance with the phrase “Am Yisrael Chai.”
By Steve Linde, JNS
Israeli singer Noam Bettan finished in second place at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna on Saturday night, earning praise from Israeli leaders after a performance that drew strong public support despite anti-Israel protests and boycott campaigns surrounding the competition.
Bulgaria’s DARA won the contest with the song “Bangaranga,” while Australia’s Delta Goodrem came in third with “Eclipse.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog personally congratulated Bettan after the results were announced.
“You have incredible composure on stage. Thank you so much. You brought honor to the people of Israel,” Herzog told the singer in a call.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Bettan in a statement released after the final.
“Noam, you are a source of pride for Israel,” Netanyahu said. “The second-place finish, for the second consecutive year, is a tremendous source of pride. But beyond the achievement itself, Noam brought talent, emotion and inspiring Israeli representation to the stage.”
The prime minister conveyed “a special thanks to Kan—the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation—for the production and coverage” of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest from Austria, which aired live for Israeli audiences on television and radio.
Bettan performed “Michelle,” a trilingual love song in English, French and Hebrew, to an estimated global audience of more than 160 million viewers. He concluded the performance with the phrase “Am Yisrael Chai” (“The People of Israel Live”), despite scattered boos and “Free Palestine” heckling.
Israel surged from eighth place to second after receiving a massive public vote tally, prompting audible boos inside the arena when the results were announced. Five countries—Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia and the Netherlands—boycotted this year’s competition over Israel’s participation.
The contest was also marked by controversy surrounding Israel’s promotional campaign. Organizers from the European Broadcasting Union issued a formal warning to the Kan broadcaster over social media posts encouraging voting for Bettan after critics claimed Israel’s campaigning violated Eurovision guidelines.
In response, Kan said it complied with all contest rules and removed the posts immediately. Israeli media reported that Eurovision organizers declined to use anti-booing audio technology during Bettan’s performance, despite its use in previous years. Bettan reportedly rehearsed in advance with simulated crowd boos to prepare for possible disruptions.
Bettan’s polished performance ultimately received strong support from viewers across Europe and beyond. Israel received 123 points from the professional juries, placing eighth in that category, and 220 points from viewers worldwide, giving the Israeli singer the second-highest public vote total of the night and 343 points overall.
In a significant shift from previous years, 22 of the 34 national juries awarded points to Israel, including Poland’s top “douze points.” Other countries awarding jury points to Bettan included France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Ukraine and Azerbaijan.
The stronger jury showing marked a significant improvement over Israel’s recent Eurovision performances. In 2025, Yuval Raphael received only 60 jury points despite finishing second overall, while Eden Golan received just 52 jury points in 2024.
“Wow, wow, wow! … It was crazy. It was fun,” Bettan told Kan after leaving the stage. “I love you. Am Yisrael Chai!”
Before going on stage, Bettan received a video message of support from Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who urged him to ignore the anti-Israel boos and protests. “They don’t have any power over you,” she said. “You’re amazing and you’re talented and we’re all behind you.”
Bettan, 28, the son of French immigrants to Israel who was raised in Ra’anana, has spent almost a decade as a professional performer. Alongside his polished pop image, he also embraces a more traditional Jewish lifestyle and was photographed in Vienna praying and laying tefillin before the Eurovision final.
It is the first time that Israel has finished second in Eurovision for the second consecutive year. The Jewish state first joined Eurovision in 1973 and has won the competition four times—in 1978, 1979, 1998 and 2018.
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