Public broadcaster Kan issued on Sunday a stern warning against the unauthorized publication of the country’s upcoming Eurovision entry, saying any leak of the song could harm Israel’s standing in the competition and expose the broadcaster to serious consequences.
In a sharply worded letter, Kan said that “any unauthorized publication of the song will constitute a severe violation of the rights of the corporation, the artist and the song’s creators.” The letter further warned that legal action would be taken against any party that publishes the song without approval.
The song—written by last year's Eurovision contestant Yuval Raphael, Nadav Aharoni and Tslil Klifi—was selected Friday by a professional committee and has already been recorded by Israel’s 2026 Eurovision representative singer Noam Bettan.
Kan officials expressed concern that the track may have passed through multiple hands prior to its selection and could be leaked on social media. They emphasized that publication before the song is formally approved by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) could cause “irreparable harm,” including potential sanctions by the EBU, and could damage Israel’s participation in the contest.
“The unauthorized release of the song, before it receives EBU approval, could result in significant damage to the corporation, the performer, the songwriters and Israel’s representation at Eurovision,” the letter said.
One of Kan’s main concerns is that an early leak might even lead to the song’s disqualification, prompting the broadcaster to issue what it described as an unusually harsh legal warning.