Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Israel is being represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 by the song "Michelle", written by Nadav Aharoni, Noam Bettan, Tzlil Klifi, and Yuval Raphael, and performed by Bettan himself. The Israeli participating broadcaster, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan), selected Bettan as its representative through the show HaKokhav HaBa L'Eirovizion, in collaboration with commercial broadcaster Keshet and Tedy Productions, while the song "Michelle" was chosen internally. As with the previous two years, Israel's participation is the subject of controversy due to the Gaza war.
Israel- Artist: HaKokhav HaBa L'Eirovizion
- Song: Internal selection
- Artist: 20 January 2026
- Song: 5 March 2026
| Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eurovision Song Contest 2026 | ||||
| Participating broadcaster | Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan) | |||
| Country | Israel | |||
| Selection process |
| |||
| Selection date |
| |||
| Competing entry | ||||
| Song | "Michelle" | |||
| Artist | Noam Bettan | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Placement | ||||
| Semi-final result | Qualified | |||
| Participation chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
Prior to the 2026 contest, the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) until 2017, and the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan) since 2018, had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Israel forty-seven times since the IBA's first entry in 1973.[1] They had won the contest on four occasions: in 1978 with the song "A-Ba-Ni-Bi" by Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta, in 1979 with the song "Hallelujah" by Milk and Honey, in 1998 with the song "Diva" by Dana International, and in 2018 with the song "Toy" by Netta. Since the introduction of semi-finals in 2004, they had, to this point, managed to qualify to the final 14 times, achieving, besides its 2018 victory, six top ten results, most recently in 2025 with "New Day Will Rise" by Yuval Raphael placing second.[1]
As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, Kan selects an entry to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. Kan confirmed its intention to participate in the 2026 contest on 28 June 2025,[2] announcing on 29 September that its representative would continue to be selected through the reality singing competition HaKokhav HaBa (Rising Star).[3]
The Gaza war has brought Kan's participation in the contest representing Israel into controversy, with calls for it to be excluded and demonstrations against its participation at the previous two editions.[4][5][6][7] Broadcasters from Ireland,[8] the Netherlands,[9] Slovenia,[10] and Spain[11] announced their intention to boycott the 2026 contest if Israel was allowed to compete, and following a European Broadcasting Union (EBU) general assembly meeting on 4 December 2025 which permitted Israel's presence in the event,[12] all four went ahead with their boycott,[13] joined by Iceland six days later.[14]
Before Eurovision
HaKokhav HaBa L'Eirovizion
The artist who would represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 was selected through the reality singing competition HaKokhav HaBa L'Eirovizion (transl. The Next Star for Eurovision), produced by Tedy Productions and Keshet Media Group, and broadcast on Keshet 12 as well as online via mako.co.il. The shows took place at the Neve Ilan Communications Center in Neve Ilan, and were hosted by Assi Azar and Rotem Sela. The judging panel for the competition composed of Assaf Amdursky, Keren Peles, Shiri Maimon (who represented Israel in 2005), Itay Levi, and Eden Hason.[15] A rotating panel of several guest judges also joined, though their votes did not count towards the result unless a main judge was absent from a performance.[16][17]
Auditions
Candidates were required to get a score of at least 70% of the votes from the judges and the studio audience in order to advance.
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Agam Hazan | "Never Enough" |  |
|
|
|
|
94% | Advanced |
| 2 | Uriah Cohen and Itamar Ohana | "Ze Ma SheNish'ar" |  |
|
|
|
|
60% | Eliminated |
| 3 | Tzahala Gazit | "Al Kol Ele" | |
|
|
|
|
90% | Advanced |
| 4 | Gilly Tsanaani | "All I Want" | |
[a] |
|
|
|
93% | Advanced |
| 5 | Daniel Shevtsov | "Make You Feel My Love" | |
[a] |
|
|
|
88% | Advanced |
| 6 | Alona Erez | "At Last" | |
[a] |
|
|
|
96% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Tair Adanek | "If I Ain't Got You" | |
|
|
|
|
94% | Advanced |
| 2 | Shira Zloof | "Abir Al Sus Lavan Be'emtza Florentin" | |
|
|
|
|
90% | Advanced |
| 3 | Shaked Solomon | "Mi Tirtzi" | |
|
|
|
|
90% | Advanced |
| 4 | Shaya Avitan | "Listen" | |
|
|
|
|
92% | Advanced |
| 5 | Moriel Harush | "Ahuvati Kvar Lo Ro'a Uti" | |
|
[b] |
|
|
69% | Eliminated |
| 6 | Noam Bettan | "Madam" | |
|
|
|
|
98% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Elior Shemesh | "Where Have You Been" | |
|
|
|
|
82% | Advanced |
| 2 | Ori Berko | "Achari Esrim Shana" | |
|
|
|
|
90% | Advanced |
| 3 | Odeya Esther Ben Amram | "I See Red" | |
|
|
|
|
46% | Eliminated |
| 4 | Gal De Paz | "A Change Is Gonna Come" | |
|
|
|
|
91% | Advanced |
| 5 | Avi Assor | "Ad Machar" | |
|
|
|
|
79% | Advanced |
| 6 | Dorin Or | "Mevarechet" | |
|
|
|
|
83% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Tamir Levy | "HaKol Ad LeKhan" | |
|
|
|
|
94% | Advanced |
| 2 | Dylan Morgan | "Happier Than Ever" | |
|
|
|
|
81% | Advanced |
| 3 | Lior Kakon | "Yam Shel D'maot" | |
|
[b] |
|
|
96% | Advanced |
| 4 | Shir Azaria | "Young and Beautiful" | |
|
|
|
|
42% | Eliminated |
| 5 | Ori Aharon | "Medumian" | |
|
|
|
|
94% | Advanced |
| 6 | Eitan Aharon | "Al Tishlihani Le'et Zkena" | |
|
|
|
|
92% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Itay Evron | "Let's Get It On" | |
|
|
|
|
84% | Advanced |
| 2 | Bar Nir | "River" | |
|
|
|
|
89% | Advanced |
| 3 | Balcony Band | "Mary Lou" | |
|
|
|
|
50% | Eliminated |
| 4 | David Ossona | "Feeling Good" | |
[a] |
|
|
|
93% | Advanced |
| 5 | Stav Vaknin | "Basivuv HaBa" | |
[a] |
|
|
|
93% | Advanced |
| 6 | Portrait | "HaKol Mevina" | |
|
|
|
|
81% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Mecy Kashty | "I'm Not the Only One" | |
|
|
|
|
86% | Advanced |
| 2 | Achia Edri | "Yaldut Niskachat" | |
|
[c] |
|
|
96% | Advanced |
| 3 | Mentamer Taganya | "When We Were Young" | |
|
|
|
|
89% | Advanced |
| 4 | Ron Bitton | "HaRishona" | |
|
|
|
|
58% | Eliminated |
| 5 | Amy Lensson | "You Don't Own Me" | |
|
|
|
|
77% | Advanced |
| 6 | Ido Maurer | "Jealous" | |
|
|
|
|
96% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Mor Fadlon | "Madam" | |
|
|
|
|
78% | Advanced |
| 2 | Daniel Azar | "HaNisayon HaZe" | |
|
|
|
|
80% | Advanced |
| 3 | Eliraz Zada | "Sign of the Times" | |
[a] |
|
|
|
88% | Advanced |
| 4 | Aya Assaf | "Tell Me Where the Light Goes" | |
|
|
|
|
92% | Advanced |
| 5 | Lihi Sade | "Love on the Brain" | |
|
[d] |
[e] |
|
67% | Eliminated |
| 6 | Saar Hadar | "HaLev HaShavur Hakhi Yafe BeOlam" | |
|
|
|
|
77% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Itamar Achiel | "HaOr BeKhayay" | |
[a] |
|
|
|
66% | Saved |
| 2 | Gala Ohayon Katz | "Summertime Sadness" | |
|
|
|
|
82% | Advanced |
| 3 | Yasmin Shimoni | "Russian Roulette" | |
|
[c] |
|
|
92% | Advanced |
| 4 | Asaf Pepel | "HaOlam HaMetukan" | |
|
|
|
|
53% | Eliminated |
| 5 | Hela Gorelik | "All I Ask" | |
|
|
|
|
90% | Advanced |
| 6 | Nave Levi | "Kinori" | |
|
|
|
|
88% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Daniella Lugassy | "Adagio" | |
|
[c] |
|
|
79% | Advanced |
| 2 | Yehuda Ifrah | "HaYom Kamti Sameach" | |
|
|
|
|
92% | Advanced |
| 3 | Shirel Balaish | "A Whole New World" | |
|
[f] |
|
|
45% | Eliminated |
| 4 | Ben-Ad Korem | "Lose Control" | |
|
[f] |
|
|
92% | Advanced |
| 5 | Noam Azut | "Kchi Oti Le'tayel" | |
|
|
|
|
80% | Advanced |
| 6 | Gali Givon | "Toxic" | |
|
|
|
|
72% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Oriel Haviv | "Tamid Oto Dvar" | |
|
|
|
|
92% | Advanced |
| 2 | Lihi Butbul | "Lazot SheNitzha" | |
|
|
|
|
74% | Advanced |
| 3 | Noam Cohen | "Rise Up" | |
|
|
|
|
94% | Advanced |
| 4 | Larry Fidler | "Make You Feel My Love" | |
|
|
|
|
44% | Eliminated |
| 5 | Gon Halevi | "Tochu Retzuf Ahava" | |
|
|
|
|
74% | Advanced |
| 6 | Nitay Avraham | "Absord" | |
|
[b] |
|
|
72% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Jenny Penkin | "My All" | |
|
|
|
|
71% | Advanced |
| 2 | Anava Amoyal | "Gvulot Higayon" | |
|
|
|
|
93% | Advanced |
| 3 | Harel Tayri | "Psikhopat" | |
|
|
|
|
54% | Eliminated |
| 4 | Shira Ittah | "October Sky" | |
|
|
|
|
93% | Advanced |
| 5 | Yotam Olmer | "Mi Haya Ma'amin" | |
|
|
|
|
67% | Eliminated |
| 6 | Michael HarPaz | "I'll Be Alright" | |
|
|
|
|
74% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Nathan Ben Shimon | "Aba" | |
|
|
|
|
82% | Advanced |
| 2 | Sandy Deri | "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" | |
|
|
|
|
76% | Advanced |
| 3 | Eden Hen | "Ratziti L'Daber Itach" | |
|
[c] |
|
|
89% | Advanced |
| 4 | Avraham Dahan | "Yesh Bech" | |
|
[b] |
|
|
60% | Eliminated |
| 5 | Nuriel Yashar | "Shallow" | |
|
[b] |
|
|
78% | Advanced |
| 6 | Rotem Sharabi | "HaYamim Shelanu" | |
|
|
|
|
86% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Elad Shahar | "Be'ir Sheli" | |
|
|
|
|
62% | Eliminated |
| 2 | Maya Rose | "Listen" | |
|
[c] |
|
|
79% | Advanced |
| 3 | Harel Mauda | "Holech Li Meyoash" | |
|
[d] |
[e] |
|
79% | Advanced |
| 4 | Elimelech Talaleh | "Mi'ma'amakim" | |
|
|
|
|
83% | Advanced |
| 5 | Ofek Cohen | "HaDerech HaBeita" | |
[a] |
|
|
|
70% | Advanced |
| 6 | Yaron As | "Geshem" | |
|
|
|
|
82% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Noam Pinto | "HaYom Kamti Sameach" | |
|
|
|
|
83% | Advanced |
| 2 | Odelia Baranes | "Ani Bucha" | |
|
|
|
|
74% | Advanced |
| 3 | Idan Ari | "Mercy" | |
[a] |
|
|
|
58% | Eliminated |
| 4 | Ziv Bossidan | "HaMedumyan" | |
|
|
|
|
85% | Advanced |
| 5 | Avishag Atia | "Wildflower" | |
[a] |
[c] |
|
N/a | 57% | Eliminated |
| 6 | Omri Fils | "Brosh" | |
|
|
|
|
70% | Advanced |
Shortlisting round
The 68 candidates who advanced from the auditions each performed an "intimate" song, and the judges picked 21 to proceed. Those candidates were: Agam Hazan, Alona Erez, Daniel Azar, Daniel Shevtsov, Dorin Or, Eitan Aharon, Elior Shemesh, Gal De Paz, Gilly Tsanaani, Mentamer Taganya, Michael HarPaz, Nave Levi, Noam Bettan, Ori Berko, Portrait, Saar Hadar, Shaked Solomon, Shaya Avitan, Shira Zloof, Stav Vaknin, and Tamir Levy.[32]
Top 21 round
In the top 21 round, the votes of the judges and an audience determine one or two contestants to be eliminated from each show.
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.A. | E.H. | K.P. | I.L. | S.M. | |||||
| 1 | Agam Hazan | "Baby" | |
|
|
|
|
80% | Advanced |
| 2 | Elior Shemesh | "Supergirl" | |
|
|
|
|
65% | Advanced |
| 3 | Daniel Azar | "Kol HaMilim" | |
|
|
|
|
80% | Advanced |
| 4 | Portrait | "Ad Elaiach" | |
|
|
|
|
84% | Advanced |
| 5 | Gilly Tsanaani | "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" | |
|
|
|
|
79% | Advanced |
| 6 | Saar Hadar | "Rochot" | |
|
|
|
|
56% | Eliminated |
| 7 | Alona Erez | "Strange" | |
|
|
|
|
72% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.A. | E.H. | K.P. | I.L. | S.M. | |||||
| 1 | Shira Zloof | "Drivers License" | |
|
|
|
|
79% | Advanced |
| 2 | Shaked Solomon | "Ve'at" | |
|
|
|
|
76% | Advanced |
| 3 | Gal De Paz | "Cryin'" | |
|
|
|
|
90% | Advanced |
| 4 | Eitan Aharon | "SheAriyot Me'atzmi" | |
|
|
|
|
81% | Advanced |
| 5 | Mentamer Taganya | "Traitor" | |
|
|
|
|
75% | Advanced |
| 6 | Daniel Shevtsov | "The Scientist" | |
|
|
|
|
50% | Eliminated |
| 7 | Noam Bettan | "Ahava Hola" | |
|
|
|
|
96% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.A. | E.H. | K.P. | I.L. | S.M. | |||||
| 1 | Stav Vaknin | "Yom Kippur" | |
|
|
|
|
74.8% | Advanced |
| 2 | Tamir Levy | "Karma Police" | |
|
|
|
|
75% | Advanced |
| 3 | Michael HarPaz | "Ani" | |
|
|
|
|
81% | Advanced |
| 4 | Shaya Avitan | "The Climb" | |
|
|
|
|
74.6% | Advanced |
| 5 | Nave Levi | "Rak SheTeda Et Ha'amet" | |
|
|
|
|
55% | Advanced |
| 6 | Ori Berko | "Dvarim SheArtziti Lomar" | |
|
|
|
|
37% | Eliminated |
| 7 | Dorin Or | "Narkomanit" | |
|
|
|
|
76% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.A. | E.H. | K.P. | I.L. | S.M. | |||||
| 1 | Elior Shemesh | "Yehafim" | |
|
|
|
|
84% | Advanced |
| Agam Hazan | Advanced | ||||||||
| 2 | Tamir Levy | "Kchi Lech Zman" | |
|
|
|
|
90% | Advanced |
| Daniel Azar | Advanced | ||||||||
| 3 | Michael HarPaz | "Levad BeMadav" | |
|
|
|
|
56% | Advanced |
| Portrait | Advanced | ||||||||
| 4 | Gilly Tsanaani | "Locked Out of Heaven" | |
|
|
|
|
45% | Saved |
| Mentamer Taganya | Eliminated | ||||||||
| 5 | Noam Bettan | "Billie Jean" | |
|
|
|
|
83% | Advanced |
| Gal De Paz | Advanced | ||||||||
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.A. | E.H. | K.P. | I.L. | S.M. | |||||
| 1 | Shaked Solomon | "Ad Matay Elohai" | |
|
|
|
|
77% | Advanced |
| Nave Levi | Advanced | ||||||||
| 2 | Eitan Aharon | "Leha'amin" | |
|
|
|
|
92% | Advanced |
| Stav Vaknin | Advanced | ||||||||
| 3 | Shaya Avitan | "Kula Levad" | |
|
|
|
|
46% | Eliminated |
| Dorin Or | Saved | ||||||||
| 4 | Alona Erez | "Ba'at Li Pit'om" | |
|
|
|
|
82% | Advanced |
| Shira Zloof | Advanced | ||||||||
| Duel | Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.A. | E.H. | K.P. | I.L. | S.M. | ||||||
| I | 1 | Michael HarPaz | "Ordinary" | |
|
|
|
|
74% | Saved |
| 2 | Tamir Levy | "Sex on Fire" | |
|
|
|
|
80% | Advanced | |
| II | 3 | Agam Hazan | "Unicorn" | |
|
|
|
|
82% | Advanced |
| 4 | Stav Vaknin | "HaSheket SheNish'ar" | |
|
|
|
|
54% | Eliminated | |
| III | 5 | Elior Shemesh | "Rehab" | |
|
|
|
|
64% | Advanced |
| 6 | Nave Levi | "Kmo Shikor" | |
|
|
|
|
62% | Saved | |
| IV | 8 | Alona Erez | "Ex's & Oh's" | |
|
|
|
|
80% | Saved |
| 9 | Noam Bettan | "Buba" | |
|
|
|
|
96% | Advanced | |
| Duel | Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.A. | E.H. | K.P. | I.L. | S.M. | ||||||
| I | 1 | Portrait | "Hayav Lamut Alay" | |
|
|
|
|
77% | Saved |
| 2 | Dorin Or | "Nais Balamo" | |
|
|
|
|
81% | Advanced | |
| II | 3 | Eitan Aharon | "Tani Li Yad" | |
|
|
|
|
87% | Advanced |
| 4 | Shaked Solomon | "Kol Kach Mukar" | |
|
|
|
|
67% | Saved | |
| III | 5 | Gilly Tsanaani | "Me Too" | |
|
|
|
|
64% | Eliminated |
| 6 | Gal De Paz | "Vampire" | |
|
|
|
|
77% | Advanced | |
| IV | 7 | Daniel Azar | "Matanot" | |
|
|
|
|
61% | Saved |
| 8 | Shira Zloof | "Ma'ariv LaNoar" | |
|
|
|
|
83% | Advanced | |
| Draw | Artist | Guest artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.A. | E.H. | K.P. | I.L. | S.M. | ||||||
| 1 | Dorin Or | Yuval Dayan | "Ahava Asura" | |
|
|
|
|
75% | Advanced |
| 2 | Alona Erez | Miri Mesika | "Skyfall" | |
|
|
|
|
94% | Advanced |
| 3 | Eitan Aharon | Uri Aharon | "Ner Al HaChalon" | |
|
|
|
|
91% | Advanced |
| 4 | Portrait | Pablo Rosenberg | "Bo'i Venavi Lech T'pank" | |
|
|
|
|
66% | Eliminated |
| 5 | Noam Bettan | Yuval Raphael | "Mon amour" | |
|
|
|
|
84% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Guest artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.A. | E.H. | K.P. | I.L. | S.M. | ||||||
| 1 | Shira Zloof | Keren Peles | "Mami" | |
|
N/a | |
|
91% | Advanced |
| 2 | Nave Levi | Shimon Buskila | "Yesh Bi Ahava" | |
|
|
|
|
71% | Advanced |
| 3 | Agam Hazan | Roni Daloomi | "What About Us" | |
|
|
|
|
53% | Advanced |
| 4 | Daniel Azar | Liran Danino | "Yesh Ein Sof" | |
|
|
|
|
50% | Eliminated |
| 5 | Gal De Paz | Red Band | "You and I" | |
|
|
|
|
64% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Guest artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.A. | E.H. | K.P. | I.L. | S.M. | ||||||
| 1 | Shaked Solomon | Lior Narkis | "Kshe'at Atzuva" | |
|
|
|
|
78% | Advanced |
| 2 | Elior Shemesh | Noam Kleinstein | "Im Zu Ahava" | |
|
|
|
|
63% | Eliminated |
| 3 | Michael HarPaz | Maya Bouskilla | "All by Myself" | |
|
|
|
|
78% | Advanced |
| 4 | Tamir Levy | Raviv Kaner | "Eifa Hayit" | |
|
|
|
|
88% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Michael HarPaz | "Story of My Life" | |
|
|
|
|
90% | Advanced |
| 2 | Alona Erez | "Stay" | |
|
|
|
|
96% | Advanced |
| 3 | Gal De Paz | "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" | |
|
|
|
|
78% | Advanced |
| 4 | Tamir Levy | "Smells Like Teen Spirit" | |
|
|
|
|
49% | Saved |
| 5 | Eitan Aharon | "Od Yiyah Li" | |
|
|
|
|
55% | Eliminated |
| 6 | Noam Bettan | "Lailot VeKlalot" | |
|
|
|
|
96% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Nave Levi | "Madmu'azel" | |
|
|
|
|
88% | Advanced |
| 2 | Agam Hazan | "How Far I'll Go" | |
|
|
|
|
66% | Saved |
| 3 | Shaked Solomon | "Ananim" | |
|
|
|
|
79% | Advanced |
| 4 | Dorin Or | "Lailot VeKlalot" | |
|
|
|
|
52% | Eliminated |
| 5 | Shira Zloof | "Kol HaZman HaZe" | |
|
|
|
|
86% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Tamir Levy | "Nivreti Lech" | |
|
|
|
|
79% | Eliminated |
| 2 | Shira Zloof | "Island" | |
|
|
|
|
92% | Advanced |
| 3 | Shaked Solomon | "Shadot Shel Eirusim" | |
|
|
|
|
55% | Saved |
| 4 | Gal De Paz | "Acharei HaKol Et Shir" | |
|
|
|
|
81% | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Score | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. A. | E. H. | K. P. | I. L. | S. M. | |||||
| 1 | Michael HarPaz | "Tagidi" | |
|
|
|
|
90% | Advanced |
| 2 | Alona Erez | "Gvir Holech LeIbud" | |
|
|
|
|
43% | Saved |
| 3 | Agam Hazan | "Olesh (Levad Im Haroch)" | |
|
|
|
|
66% | Eliminated |
| 4 | Nave Levi | "Yareach" | |
|
|
[g] |
|
90% | Advanced |
| 5 | Noam Bettan | "LaTet VeLaKakhat" | |
|
|
[g] |
|
84% | Advanced |
Round of 16
From this round, the judges awarded each performance a score of between 7 and 12 points, accounting for 50% of the final score, while the votes of the studio audience accounted for the remaining 50%. The two candidates with the lowest scores were up for elimination, and the judges decided who to eliminate.
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Result | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.A. | I.L. | E.H. | K.P. | S.M. | Total | ||||
| 1 | Michael HarPaz | "Lose Control" | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 46 | Advanced |
| 2 | Shaked Solomon | "Brit Olam" | 8 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 44 | Saved |
| 3 | Gal De Paz | "Proud Mary" | 8 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 50 | Advanced |
| 4 | Alona Erez | "Idontwannabeyouanymore" | 10 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 42 | Advanced |
| 5 | Nave Levi | "Sipur Machor" | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 37 | Eliminated |
| 6 | Noam Bettan | "Someone You Loved" | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 52 | Advanced |
| 7 | Shira Zloof | "Million Years Ago" | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 58 | Advanced |
Quarterfinal
In this round, the candidates each performed a song by Hanan Ben Ari.
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Result | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.A. | I.L. | E.H. | K.P. | S.M. | Total | ||||
| 1 | Gal De Paz | "Mimcha Ad Elay" | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 60 | Advanced |
| 2 | Shaked Solomon | "Ma Ata Rotze Mem'ani" | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 46 | Advanced |
| 3 | Alona Erez | "Shvurei Lev" | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 41 | Saved |
| 4 | Michael HarPaz | "Amen Al HaYeladim" | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 38 | Eliminated |
| 5 | Shira Zloof | "Im Tirtzi" | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 52 | Advanced |
| 6 | Noam Bettan | "Atalef Iver" | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 58 | Advanced |
Semi-final
Asaf Liberman and Akiva Novick, who commentate on Eurovision for Kan, joined the judging panel for this round and the final, for which they shared one vote.
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Result | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.N. & A.L. | A.A. | I.L. | E.H. | K.P. | S.M. | Total | ||||
| 1 | Alona Erez | "You Are the Reason" | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 64 | Saved |
| 2 | Shaked Solomon | "Omed BaSha'ar" | 10 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 53 | Eliminated |
| 3 | Gal De Paz | "Oscar Winning Tears" | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 68 | Advanced |
| 4 | Shira Zloof | "Bachum Shel Tel Aviv" | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 56 | Advanced |
| 5 | Noam Bettan | "Formidable" | 12 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 70 | Advanced |
Final
The final took place on 20 January 2026 and was divided into a first round, eliminating one finalist, and a superfinal among the remaining three artists, determining the winner. A public vote, held via the Kan app and determining 30% of the results of the first round, was opened after the performances in the first round of the final.[50] In the superfinal, a 50/50 combination of jury and public votes selected Noam Bettan as the winner.[51]
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury votes | Result | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.N. & A.L. | A.A. | I.L. | E.H. | K.P. | S.M. | Total | ||||
| 1 | Gal De Paz | "Fame" | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 72 | Advanced |
| 2 | Alona Erez | "Make You Feel My Love" | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 70 | Eliminated |
| 3 | Shira Zloof | "Ahava" | 10 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 62 | Advanced |
| 4 | Noam Bettan | "Nitzacht Iti HaKol" | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 68 | Advanced |
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury | Viewers | Total | Place | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.N. & A.L. | A.A. | I.L. | E.H. | K.P. | S.M. | Total | ||||||
| 1 | Shira Zloof | "Hopelessly Devoted to You" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 48 | 26 | 74 | 3 |
| 2 | Noam Bettan | "Dernière danse" | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 72 | 120 | 192 | 1 |
| 3 | Gal De Paz | "All I Ask" | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 60 | 34 | 94 | 2 |
Song selection
The song that Noam Bettan will perform in the contest was internally selected by a professional committee. Any member of the Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers in Israel was able to submit entries from 21 December 2025 to 26 January 2026; submissions were required to include at least two lines of Hebrew lyrics.[52][53] Bettan also submitted his own entries.[54][55] Approximately 200 submissions were received at the closing of the deadline.[56] The selected song, titled "Michelle" and written by Bettan with Nadav Aharoni, Tzlil Klifi, and Yuval Raphael, was presented on 5 March 2026 during a special broadcast on Kan 11, aired from the Neve Ilan Communications Center and hosted by Hila Korach.[57][58][59]
At Eurovision
The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is taking place at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria, and consist of two semi-finals held on the respective dates of 12 and 14 May and the final on 16 May 2026. All nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big Four" (France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom) are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final will progress to the final. On 12 January 2026, an allocation draw was held to determine which of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show, each country will perform in; the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) split up the competing countries into different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot.[60]
The host broadcaster ORF has confirmed that any boos for Israel will not be drowned out, as they have been in previous years. Artificial applause will not be used. [61]
Semi-final
Israel was allocated for the first semi final, and later, was announced to perform in position ten during the show.[62]
During the performance there were pro-Palestine chants and booing, with some audience members removed.[63]
Shortly after, the qualification–announcement segment took place. Israel was announced as one of the ten qualifiers, therefore, Israel would move on onto the final.[64]
Controversies
Advertising campaigns
As part of changes to the contest's voting system in response to Israel's result the previous year, voting instructions were updated to "discourage disproportionate promotion campaigns… particularly when undertaken or supported by third parties, including governments or governmental agencies". Despite this, reports circulated of the Israeli delegation again issuing promotional videos in several languages which instructed viewers to give the maximum 10 votes for Israel, ahead of the first semi-final. The director of the Eurovision Song Contest, Martin Green, stated that he was made aware of the videos, as well as that Kan was given a formal warning. Kan later responded that the video was not backed by third-parties, and also cited similar advertising campaigns by other countries' delegations; despite that, the Israeli delegation took down the videos per the EBU's request.[65][66][67]
Social media post on Croatia's performance
The Croatian representatives, Lelek, posted on their Instagram that they were "disturbed" by a social media post by Kan about their performance which stated, "When you overdo it with the henna tattoos in Eilat". Lelek stated, “We are disturbed by the comments made by the Israeli broadcaster KAN, in which our culture and the sacrifices made by oppressed Catholic women were mocked. It is especially disturbing to ridicule women singing about female pain and suffering while showing such a complete lack of empathy and respect for the suffering of others.” Kan later removed the post and issued an apology.[68]
Final
Israel's position to perform in the final was allocated via the producers' choice, and will be performing third.[69]
Notes
- Hason was not present for this vote, so Dana International voted in his place.
- Peles was not present for this vote, so Dana International and Shay Kerem voted in her place.
- Peles was not present for this vote, so Netta Barzilai voted in her place.
- Peles was not present for this vote, so Dana International voted in her place.
- Levi was not present for this vote, so Netta Barzilai voted in his place.
- Peles was not present for this vote, so Izhar Cohen voted in her place.
- Levi was not present for this vote, so Amir Benayoun voted in his place.