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Israel Qualifies for Eurovision 2026 Final Amid Protests as Boy George Misses Out With San Marino
Israel reaches the Eurovision 2026 final despite protests, while Boy George and San Marino fail to qualify.
Israel has advanced to the Eurovision 2026 final despite audible protests during its semi-final performance, while Boy George will not be moving on after San Marino failed to qualify.
The first semi-final took place on Tuesday May 12, setting up this weekend’s finale in Vienna. Israel’s place in the grand final was confirmed after 28-year-old Noam Bettan performed Michelle, but the run-up to that result came with obvious tension. The country’s participation has been a flashpoint in recent years because of Israel’s military action in Gaza, and this year’s contest has already been hit by boycotts from Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain over Israel’s inclusion.
There have also been reports alleging that Israel’s government ran a “well-organised campaign” to use Eurovision as a “soft power” vehicle. That context hung heavily over the semi-final broadcast, where Bettan was met with a divided response from the crowd. Some audience members cheered; others booed and shouted anti-Israel slogans. As The Independent reported, one person could be heard for around a minute during the performance, repeatedly saying “Stop the genocide” during the song’s introduction.
Austrian broadcaster ORF, which is hosting the event, had already said it would not censor negative crowd reactions aimed at any contestant. After the performance, ORF and Eurovision organisers the EBU issued a joint statement addressing the heckling. They said the audience member heard most clearly during the introduction had been standing “close to a microphone” and was “later removed by security for continuing to disturb the audience” (via BBC News). The statement also said “three other people were also removed from the arena by security for disruptive behaviour”.
Eurovision’s political pressure keeps building
That backdrop has only sharpened criticism of the contest itself. Amnesty International called on Eurovision to suspend Israel, comparing the decision-making to the EBU’s exclusion of Russia in 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine. In a statement, secretary general Agnès Callamard called the failure to suspend Israel “an act of cowardice” and accused the EBU of “blatant double standards”.
“Instead of sending a clear message that there is a cost for Israel’s atrocity crimes against the Palestinian people, the EBU has given Israel this international stage even as it continues to commit genocide in Gaza, unlawful occupation, and apartheid,” she said. “The EBU is betraying the values of the Eurovision Song Contest, which include freedom from intolerance, hate speech, and discrimination”.
Israel has repeatedly rejected accusations of genocide and denies committing war crimes, arguing that its military actions are lawful self-defence after Hamas’ attack on Israeli citizens at the Nova Music Festival on October 7 2023, which killed over 1,100 people and saw 250 taken hostage.
The criticism has extended beyond the institutions. Amnesty’s statement was also backed by United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese on Instagram, where she wrote: “I join Amnesty International in condemning #Eurovision and call everyone with a conscience not to watch it. BIG THANK YOU to the five countries who withdrew from the competition.”
Pressure on the contest has also come from No Music For Genocide, whose open letter, first shared on April 21, was signed by more than 1,100 cultural workers and artists. The letter urged fans to boycott Eurovision unless Israel was banned from taking part. Among the signatories were Brian Eno, Massive Attack, Paloma Faith, Paul Weller, Kneecap, Hot Chip, Of Monsters and Men, IDLES, Primal Scream, Sigur Rós, Young Fathers, Mogwai, Black Country New Road, Erika de Casier, Nadine Shah, Dry Cleaning, Ólafur Arnalds, David Holmes, Nemahsis, Macklemore, Roger Waters, Peter Gabriel and Vacations, alongside Smerz, several former Eurovision finalists and more.
On the night, 10 countries qualified for the final: Israel, Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Greece, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Serbia and Sweden. The countries that did not make it through after performing were Estonia, Georgia, Montenegro, Portugal and San Marino.
San Marino’s entry featured returning Eurovision performer Senhit, with a guest appearance from Boy George. The Culture Club singer had already posted a video earlier this month showing him embracing Noam Bettan during rehearsals and wishing him luck ahead of the contest.
Boy George had also involved himself in Eurovision last year, when he was among the public figures who signed an open letter backing Israel’s continued participation in the 2024 contest. That letter also included Sharon Osbourne, Gene Simmons and Scooter Braun.
France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, the contest’s four biggest financial contributors, qualify automatically for the final. A second semi-final takes place on Thursday May 14, when 15 more countries will compete for the remaining 10 places in the grand final.
