Despite boos and boycotts, Noam Bettan was ready to take the stage in the 70th Eurovision Song Contest final in Vienna on Saturday night to sing, “Michelle.”
Speaking to KAN 11’s Amit Harari before the final, he said, “I feel good, I’m excited, I’m relaxed at the moment.”
After his stunning performance of the song on the first semifinal on Tuesday night, he was one of 10 performers who advanced to the finals. Before the semifinal, he had been in sixth place in the betting odds tables, then he jumped to fourth place and moved to fifth a day later.
According to the tables after the second semifinal, the winner is expected to be Finland, followed by Australia, Bulgaria, and Greece. Bettan is predicted to win the televoting, as Yuval Raphael, Israel’s previous Eurovision contestant, did last year.
But although Bettan has radiated calm and charisma throughout the run-up to the song contest in Vienna, Israel’s participation has ignited controversy. Five countries, Spain, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Iceland, are boycotting because the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) would not hold a vote to remove Israel.
Noam Bettan, representing Israel, reacts in the Green Room during the first semi-final of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, in Vienna, Austria, May 12, 2026. (credit: REUTERS/LISA LEUTNER)Large anti-Israel protest held in Vienna’s main square
There was a large anti-Israel protest in Vienna’s main square on Friday, which coincided with Nakba Day, on which some demonstrate against the establishment of the state of Israel, and again on Saturday. Ynet reported that hundreds of protesters attended the protest, which was billed as a “concert against genocide,” with a motto against Israel’s participation in Eurovision: “Song Protest – No Stage for Genocide.” Anti-Israel musician Roger Waters was reportedly involved in organizing the protest.
Loud boos were heard during Bettan’s rehearsal on Saturday, and he told KAN 11 that they were “the loudest I ever heard.” But he said that there were also many fans who cheered him on, “And we’re doing it for them.”
Before taking the stage on Saturday night, he got good wishes from Raphael, who was one of the co-authors of “Michelle,” along with Bettan, Tzlil Klifi, and Nadav Aharoni, and who also faced boos when she performed.
He also received a video greeting for Gal Gadot, who told him not to let the booing rattle him: “They don’t have any power over you… You’re amazing, and you’re talented, and we’re all behind you, waiting for you to go on tonight.”
On Friday, Bettan took time backstage to hold a kiddush in a traditional ceremony welcoming the Sabbath with the dancers and the entire Israeli delegation.
The event will be broadcast live in Israel on KAN 11.