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Israel qualifies for Eurovision final despite mixed reception
Israel's Noam Bettan secured a spot in Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest final with his love song Michelle, though his performance was met with both support and vocal opposition in Vienna.
Political tensions overshadow contest
The annual song competition, known for its festive spirit, has faced growing controversy over Israel's participation due to its military actions in Gaza. Five nations, including seven-time winners Ireland, boycotted this year's event in protest.
During Tuesday's semi-final at Vienna's Wiener Stadhalle, Bettan, 28, encountered a divided audience. Some spectators booed and shouted anti-Israeli slogans, while others chanted his name in encouragement.
Prior to the performance, Bettan told the Jerusalem Post he aimed to focus on the music, dismissing criticism as "background noise."
Protests and security incidents
The Austrian broadcaster ORF, hosting the event, confirmed it would not censor negative reactions to any contestant. During Israel's performance, one audience member's disruptive comments were picked up by a live microphone before security intervened.
"They were later removed by security for continuing to disturb the audience. Three other people were also ejected for disruptive behavior."
ORF and EBU joint statement
Semi-final highlights and qualifiers
Ten acts advanced to Saturday's grand final, including Finnish duo Pete Parkonnen and Linda Lampenius, whose fiery performance of Liekinheitin (Flamethrower) made them bookmakers' favorites. Their act notably included a live violin-a rarity since Eurovision banned live instruments in 1998.
Other qualifiers included Estonia, Georgia, Montenegro, and Portugal, while San Marino's entry, featuring British star Boy George, failed to progress. Three returning Eurovision acts-Estonia's Vanilla Ninja, San Marino's Senhit, and Georgia's Bzikebi-were also eliminated.
Celebrating Eurovision's legacy
The semi-final opened with a nostalgic film marking the contest's 70th anniversary, following an Austrian boy's lifelong love for Eurovision. The segment featured past winners like ABBA and Conchita Wurst and culminated in a live performance of L'amour Est Bleu by original 1967 performer Vicky Leandros.
Notable performances and rule changes
Greek singer Akylas delivered one of the night's most ambitious acts, blending ancient Greek themes with modern struggles, while Croatia's Lelek offered powerful folkloric harmonies. Lithuania's Lion Ceccah stood out with a silver-painted body for his tech-themed anthem, and Serbia's Lavina closed the show with a dramatic metal performance.
This year's contest introduced stricter voting rules to address past irregularities, including a cap of 10 votes per viewer and mandatory credit card verification to ensure votes originate from the submitting country.
What's next
The second semi-final on Thursday will feature 15 countries competing for the remaining 10 final spots, including high-profile acts from Denmark, France, and Australia's Delta Goodrem. Hosts Austria and the "Big Five" (France, Germany, Italy, and the UK) automatically qualify for Saturday's final.
