Yoav Tzafir, the director of Israel’s Eurovision delegation, said Israel’s first major goal had been achieved after Noam Bettan advanced Tuesday night to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna with his song Michelle.
“First and important mission behind us. Now we go all the way, for the Eurovision win,” Tzafir told ynet after the announcement. “Noam deserves the highest place possible.”
Noam Bettan advances to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna
(Video: Kan, EBU)
“The reactions were excellent. It was a perfect performance,” Tzafir said. “We are proud of Noam, the country’s diamond. Noam did not let the boos get to him. He is a true professional.”
Bettan took the stage to a loud mix of boos, applause and cheers, then delivered a strong, precise and emotional vocal performance.
“Thank you to all the people of Israel. Thank you to all the Jews around the world,” Bettan said after qualifying. “Thank you for voting for me. I love you. Wow, I had an amazing performance. I enjoyed every moment. See you in the final.”
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Noam Bettan performs on the Eurovision Song Contest stage in Vienna
(Photo: Yuval Chen)
Asked whether he heard the boos, Bettan said he had. “I heard the boos, but very quickly I also heard people cheering us, making noise and lifting me up, and that immediately lifted my spirit,” he said. “It did my heart the most good in the world. Am Yisrael Chai. See you in the final. I really felt I was singing for the State of Israel. It sounds like the biggest cliché. I felt I was a vessel.”
Bettan said the feeling intensified at the end of the song. “When I sang, ‘There is someone who will hear, there is someone who will hear,’ I was simply focused on the people of Israel,” he said. “Thank you very much. I love you.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar congratulated Bettan on X after he qualified. “Banger. Great song. Great performance. Noam, we’re holding our fingers crossed for you in the final,” Saar wrote.
Alongside Israel, Greece, Finland, Belgium, Sweden, Moldova, Serbia, Croatia, Lithuania and Poland also secured places in the final. The second semifinal will be held Thursday and broadcast live on Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster.
During Bettan’s performance, Palestinian flags were seen in the arena, and several people were removed after shouting and disrupting the song. Another person was filmed lying on the floor and shouting “genocide” before police removed him from the venue.
Despite the boos and disruptions, many in the crowd joined Bettan in singing Michelle. “I heard the boos at the beginning,” Bettan told the delegation after leaving the stage. “They were really, really loud. But I focused on the performance.”
He said he searched the crowd for Israeli flags. “That strengthened me,” he said.
Delegation officials said the boos were louder than before. “This time, we heard the boos more strongly than ever,” they said.
The staging of the number was among the most impressive seen so far, especially the diamond element at the opening. Bettan displayed his vocal abilities before millions of viewers, while dancer Lihi Freud performed despite being injured during rehearsals.
Outside the arena, Israelis watching the semifinal at the Eurovision Village in central Vienna said the atmosphere was supportive.
“People from other countries sang the words by heart,” they said. “Everyone around us sang with us. There was a lot of support, not one boo. Everyone sang Michelle. It was amazing.”
The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest is being held in Austria after Austrian singer JJ won last year with Wasted Love. Israel finished second in 2025, when Yuval Raphael represented the country with New Day Will Rise.
Israel’s participation has drawn mounting controversy in recent years because of the war in Gaza. This year, the dispute reached a peak after the European Broadcasting Union allowed Israel to compete despite objections from several countries, leading Iceland, Spain, Slovenia, Ireland and the Netherlands to withdraw.
Against the backdrop of tensions and expected pro-Palestinian demonstrations, Vienna police announced that protests would be barred near the arena and that signs or materials undermining the contest’s nonpolitical character would be prohibited inside the venue. Police also announced special protection for the Israeli delegation by two elite Austrian police units.