Eurovision 2026 | Israel allowed to compete | Netherlands, Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, Iceland withdraw

That was a dramatic finale. Glad Bulgaria won. I thought they performed well in the semis and the performance in the final was also great. Class improvisation to grab the chairs in the waiting area when they performed the song at the very end. Deserved winners, imo.

Surprised that France didn't do so well with the public. Israel winning would have been very bad for the competition and it's already a divisive enough issue with them being there. Them winning could have killed it with the amount of countries pulling out if they had won.
 
I guess Eurovision likes all this drama for the ratings but it seems a dangerous game they're playing. An Israeli win would have been game over for them. If they took action to stop last year's phone vote rigging it doesn't seem to have worked very well as they still came second.
 
Regulus Arcturus Black said:
I feel zero sympathy for anyone representing a genocidal state myself.
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I get it, but can’t really complain about political voting against the UK then demand political voting against Isreal. I’m sure the performers are good people who probably don’t support the actions of their government. They likely have more in common with the Eurovision contingent than with their state, I would imagine. I haven’t heard anything about them personally supporting genocide, but I don’t know. Is the argument that it could be used as PR for Israel? The song was quite rubbish though and it looks like people voted in support of Israel, which is quite disturbing.
 
Eric_the_Red99 said:
I guess Eurovision likes all this drama for the ratings but it seems a dangerous game they're playing. An Israeli win would have been game over for them. If they took action to stop last year's phone vote rigging it doesn't seem to have worked very well as they still came second.
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I think the people who engage in the botfarming or whatever it is, know very well how to do it and not actually win. They need to be in top 3 "proving" the world doesn't hate them. If they actually make 1st place it will be massive boycotts and for good reason , its a warzone.
 
El Zoido said:
I get it, but can’t really complain about political voting against the UK then demand political voting against Isreal. I’m sure the performers are good people who probably don’t support the actions of their government. They likely have more in common with the Eurovision contingent than with their state, I would imagine. I haven’t heard anything about them personally supporting genocide, but I don’t know. Is the argument that it could be used as PR for Israel? The song was quite rubbish though and it looks like people voted in support of Israel, which is quite disturbing.
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Worldwide voting is permitted, and Netanyahu has spent $1m on a global PR campaign to get Israel to win Eurovision.

That campaign included giant billboards in Times Square and direct messages to supporters. Though the US is not in the contest, Americans can still vote because the EBU has opened voting to the whole world. Netanyahu himself posted on Instagram, telling supporters in 2025 to vote 20 times for Israel – the maximum amount allowed per person.
 
Frosty said:
Worldwide voting is permitted, and Netanyahu has spent $1m on a global PR campaign to get Israel to win Eurovision.

That campaign included giant billboards in Times Square and direct messages to supporters. Though the US is not in the contest, Americans can still vote because the EBU has opened voting to the whole world. Netanyahu himself posted on Instagram, telling supporters in 2025 to vote 20 times for Israel – the maximum amount allowed per person.
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Very weird stuff, I can’t imagine Netanyahu caring even slightly about the Eurovision Song Contest and the more they’re in it the more negative the PR so I’m not even sure why they’d bother even though $1m is pocket change to them. It’d be a better PR effort to not even enter it, if that’s the goal.
 
El Zoido said:
Very weird stuff, I can’t imagine Netanyahu caring even slightly about the Eurovision Song Contest and the more they’re in it the more negative the PR so I’m not even sure why they’d bother even though $1m is pocket change to them. It’d be a better PR effort to not even enter it, if that’s the goal.
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I think it is small part of a global PR campaign. They know most people (even in Europe) don't watch the event, but just hear the result.

After the 2024 and 2025 contests, some in the Israeli media suggested that the public vote result was a sign of widespread political support for Israel. Israel’s ambassador to Belgium, Idit Rosenzweig-Abu, declared: “The silent majority has spoken again.”
 
Frosty said:
I think it is small part of a global PR campaign. They know most people (even in Europe) don't watch the event, but just hear the result.

After the 2024 and 2025 contests, some in the Israeli media suggested that the public vote result was a sign of widespread political support for Israel. Israel’s ambassador to Belgium, Idit Rosenzweig-Abu, declared: “The silent majority has spoken again.”
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Interesting stuff. So it’s being used as PR within Israel rather than Europe and beyond?
 
BeforeKeanetherewasRobson said:
Sure Bulgaria will be great hosts
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El Zoido said:
Interesting stuff. So it’s being used as PR within Israel rather than Europe and beyond?
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PR both within Israel and on an international basis too. I guess it is analogous to Saudi sports washing. The Saudi rulers know that attaching their name to big sporting events will create a positive spin for the brand. This is a way to make Israel seem endorsed by an entire continent. It would likely play well in places like the USA.

Spending $1m here is an incredibly cheap way of trying to make the country look better. Sorry if that is callous. But they were using missiles in strikes against Iran that cost several millions dollars each.
 
El Zoido said:
I get it, but can’t really complain about political voting against the UK then demand political voting against Isreal. I’m sure the performers are good people who probably don’t support the actions of their government. They likely have more in common with the Eurovision contingent than with their state, I would imagine. I haven’t heard anything about them personally supporting genocide, but I don’t know. Is the argument that it could be used as PR for Israel? The song was quite rubbish though and it looks like people voted in support of Israel, which is quite disturbing.
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Israel has a widespread propaganda campaign to repair its international image, including Eurovision. You can check the first few pages of the thread, but just from my own posts:
Cheimoon said:
Also, there is broad support within Israel for its war with Gaza (whatever nuances can be added about the nature of that support and how informed Israelis are of what really happened - and still happens - in Gaza), Israel has actively used its contestants the past few years to promote its viewpoint (through the songs and people selected), and Israel has also rigged the voting process in any way they can to get a good result.

So the Israeli broadcaster and public are not innocent bystanders here, and Israel's participation has been highly politicized by Israel itself.
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Cheimoon said:
I wonder if there is still any chance the EBU will reconsider the decision. It's come out this week that Israel ran an extensive government-organized lobbying campaign to make sure they would get enough votes to participate in Eurovision again. I read about it in my Dutch newspaper, but I found this English Israeli source now:

https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/rjx22d1mwg

That's clear government interference and goes exactly against everything the EBU has been saying about Israel's involvement ('we're non-political', and so on). They of course also have their very own evidence that the Israeli government extensively campaigned internationally for their contestant last year.

Plenty of grounds for dismissal due to political interference - no?

No, of course. Not for the EBU.
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I am boycotting this edition and know nothing about Israel's song or singer this year, but past song have made clear references to the Hamas attack and its aftermath, and the singers have had their own history. I don't feel like spending time looking up the details of that (again), but it's all easily findable if you'd want proof.

So no, these are not innocent artists that are just participating for fun and just happen to represent Israel, without a political dimension.
 
El Zoido said:
Very weird stuff, I can’t imagine Netanyahu caring even slightly about the Eurovision Song Contest and the more they’re in it the more negative the PR so I’m not even sure why they’d bother even though $1m is pocket change to them. It’d be a better PR effort to not even enter it, if that’s the goal.
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With guys like that I'm not sure if it's even about good PR - they just want to win and rub it in people s faces, especially if that win was accomplished in a way they feel is sticking it to others.
 
BBC Headlines

Israel came second at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest with 343 points, but it's 516 points for Bulgaria's Dara with her song Bangaranga that clinches the win.

Catch up on the big moments from the night: https://bbc.in/3Rd4pTE

Why would you mention Israel first? Why not mention the winner first.
 
hoped for the win, but still happy with 4th place. I think we're seen as more "European" than the UK these days. :lol:

Bulgaria's beat was extremely catchy but i think the singing really added nothing to it. Also never understood the Finland hype, it was bang average. I think Delta was by far the best singer, but also think the fans were right that it was probably too "classic eurovision" to work today.
 
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WPMUFC said:
hoped for the win, but still happy with 4th place. I think we're seen as more "European" than the UK these days. :lol:

Bulgaria's beat was extremely catchy but i think the singing really added nothing to it. Also never understood the Finland hype, it was bang average. I think Delta was by far the best singer, but also think the fans were right that it was probably too "classic eurovision" to work today.
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I was hoping Delta would win too. I genuinely thought she was the best. That said, Eurovision seems to prefer nightclub beats.
 
Twisted_Woody said:
I was hoping Delta would win too. I genuinely thought she was the best. That said, Eurovision seems to prefer nightclub beats.
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I was convinced that Delta Goodrem was a bit of a weapon, but it turns out I got her mixed up with Holly Valance. Who is indeed a bit of a knob, putting it lightly.
 
How exactly have Israel finished second? It feels incredibly unlikely that it's legitimate but I don't know how exactly they ended up nearly winning the thing
 
Enigma_87 said:
Israel committed numerous war crimes and killed and starved to death millions, mostly children.
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Take it to one of the numerous Israel threads.
 
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A pair of boobs are still a better calling card than a pair of bombs, alas!
 
El Zoido said:
Nothing, I don’t know them, I just tend to view people with an open heart on a personal level, until they give me a reason not to. I can’t dislike someone based on their nationality, race, gender, anything. I just can’t.
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People aren’t booing them personally, they’re booing what they represent, a country that upholds and enforces apartheid and is committing genocide.

Staying silent in the face of that isn’t neutrality. It’s a humanitarian duty to speak up, and every chance we get, we should make noise and protest those atrocities.
 
Ahmer Baig said:
BBC Headlines

Israel came second at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest with 343 points, but it's 516 points for Bulgaria's Dara with her song Bangaranga that clinches the win.

Catch up on the big moments from the night: https://bbc.in/3Rd4pTE

Why would you mention Israel first? Why not mention the winner first.
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I mean that's arguably bigger news. As evidenced by the fact that's all anyone in this thread is talking about.
 
Anyone get a clip of the camera operator falling over during the Czechia song??
 
They need to bin the public vote. Just go back to jury voting. The whole thing is corrupted. No way Israel would have come second any other way.
 
Scanny said:
They need to bin the public vote. Just go back to jury voting. The whole thing is corrupted. No way Israel would have come second any other way.
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The issue is, pro-Israeli camp can easily team up, it is much more difficult for Israel to be punished by teaming up.

It is quite straightforward on what you do if you want Israel to win. If you don't want Israel to win, what do you actually do?
 
Bosnian_fan said:
The issue is, pro-Israeli camp can easily team up, it is much more difficult for Israel to be punished by teaming up.

It is quite straightforward on what you do if you want Israel to win. If you don't want Israel to win, what do you actually do?
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I’m someone who has never understood why Israel compete in any European competitions no matter what it is. They are not European.
 
BeforeKeanetherewasRobson said:
Sing, dance, duck under cameras… lot going on.

Odd that people on arena floor get a worse view than probably anyone (for this song anyway).

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That's all the time actually. Everything is geared towards the cameras. In the arena, you see all the practical details and it's a lot more flat. Not that I've been there, but there are lots of videos like this of different acts over the years.
 
Scanny said:
I’m someone who has never understood why Israel compete in any European competitions no matter what it is. They are not European.
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Of Australia or other countries. EBU is open to letting anyone participate, it's not unique to Israel. Canada is currently looking into participating, actually.
 
The Firestarter said:
We'll take you, add EU membership in the offer.
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I'd take that, too. I think the EU is not against it either (like, no outright rejection of the idea). But it won't fly in Canada. Some close collaboration pact might happen in some years though (beyond CETA).
 
Cheimoon said:
I'd take that, too. I think the EU is not against it either (like, no outright rejection of the idea). But it won't fly in Canada. Some close collaboration pact might happen in some years though (beyond CETA).
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Well, given how quickly Canada developed anti us sentiment, I'd least assume the view towards EU might change as well. Stranger things have happened.
 
Not gonna lie I'm extremely irritated that Israel came second and the UK came last, for a number of reasons
  1. If it's popularity that wins you the vote, you're never going to sell me Israel coming second. Having to muffle out booing by the audience tells you everything.
  2. If it's talent that wins, then the Israeli singer was good but there are so many -better- singers and songs, not least of which Delta Goodrem.
  3. If it's silliness, then how do the UK end up last? Yes eins zwei drei is terrible but then there are SO MANY terrible songs that were even terribl-er in past years. And this one: the Greek and Moldovan entries were both silly and talentless. It's clear that "looks mum no computer" has some actual talent, in that he CAN use electronica, just a bit of a shame that obviously the pre produced tracks can't highlight something like 2)
  4. If it's politics, then why are we pretending the audience has a say in it at all? Just scrap the televote entirely and do the same as FIFA does with their own disgusting and shameless voterigging
But honestly in terms of "soft power" I don't necessarily agree that getting the world to hate your country -even more- by rigging a music contest is helpful, because I'm sure I can't be alone in that I would have a lot more sympathy for Israel if they participated fairly and then came last or at least bottom half of the table than whatever the hell is going on here.
 
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