Austrian public broadcaster ORF had said it would not use anti-booing technology during the show. Bettan told The Times of Israel<\/a> in an interview last month that he had been practicing to the sounds of booing in order to be prepared.<\/p>\n During his rehearsal on Saturday, Bettan was loudly booed, telling the cameras after he left the stage that it was \u201cthe loudest he has ever heard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhatever, let\u2019s go,\u201d he told his backup dancers. \u201cIt\u2019s all good.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tGet The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition \t\t\t\tBy signing up, you agree to the terms<\/a><\/p>\n This year in Vienna marks the 70th edition of the world\u2019s biggest televised music event, which despite the razzmatazz rarely escapes the politics in the background.<\/p>\n \u05d2\u05de\u05e8 \u05d4\u05d0\u05d9\u05e8\u05d5\u05d5\u05d9\u05d6\u05d9\u05d5\u05df: \u05e6\u05e2\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea \u05d1\u05d5\u05d6 \u05d7\u05d6\u05e7\u05d5\u05ea \u05e0\u05e9\u05de\u05e2\u05d5 \u05d1\u05d0\u05d5\u05dc\u05dd \u05d1\u05d6\u05de\u05df \u05d4\u05d7\u05d6\u05e8\u05d4 \u05d4\u05d2\u05e0\u05e8\u05dc\u05d9\u05ea \u05e9\u05dc \u05d4\u05de\u05e9\u05dc\u05d7\u05ea \u05d4\u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05dc\u05d9\u05ea, \u05db\u05e9\u05d4\u05e6\u05d5\u05e2\u05e7\u05d9\u05dd \u05e0\u05d9\u05e1\u05d5 \u05dc\u05de\u05e0\u05d5\u05e2 \u05de\u05e0\u05d5\u05e2\u05dd \u05d1\u05ea\u05df \u05dc\u05d4\u05d5\u05e4\u05d9\u05e2 \u05db\u05de\u05d5 \u05e9\u05e6\u05e8\u05d9\u05da@AmitHarari2<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ws0LNVZ2aM<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 \u05db\u05d0\u05df \u05d7\u05d3\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea (@kann_news) May 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Five countries, including Spain, traditionally one of the Eurovision Song Contest\u2019s biggest financial contributors, are staying away over Israel\u2019s participation.\n<\/p>\n This year, the Eurovision brought back the professional jury votes in the semifinal rounds, as part of a package of reforms agreed to by members last year to address concerns raised after Israel\u2019s runaway televote win in 2025.<\/p>\n In addition, votes have been capped at 10 per person instead of 20, and the European Broadcasting Union promised to crack down on \u201cdisproportionate promotion campaigns,\u201d especially those funded by governments.<\/p>\n \t An unnamed source told the Ynet news site on Saturday that the Israeli delegation believed it could again top the viewers\u2019 vote this year.<\/p>\n Last year, Israel\u2019s Yuval Raphael \u2014 who co-wrote \u201cMichelle\u201d \u2014 finished second overall after coming first in the televote, with \u201cNew Day Will Rise.\u201d In 2024, Eden Golan finished fifth overall and second in the televote with \u201cHurricane.\u201d<\/p>\n While the odds were wrong about the winner for the past two years, the overwhelming favorites in the 25-country final are Finnish violinist Linda Lampenius and pop singer Pete Parkkonen.<\/p>\n \t But Australia\u2019s Delta Goodrem, who has sold nine million albums, is also coming in hot, according to the latest press poll, which puts her in first place after her performance in the second semi-final on Thursday that saw her soar into the air on a riser from the top of a glittering piano.<\/p>\n The final begins at 9 p.m. local time (1900 GMT) in Vienna in front of some 11,200 spectators.<\/p>\n \u2018Star aura\u2019<\/p>\n Internationally acclaimed violinist Lampenius, 56, got permission to use her 1781 Gagliano live, to perform \u201cLiekinheitin\u201d (\u201cFlamethrower\u201d) in Finnish with Parkkonen, 36.<\/p>\n Instruments featured on stage are typically pre-recorded.<\/p>\n \u201cI will never be a wallflower,\u201d Lampenius, who has appeared on the cover of Playboy and in an episode of the hit TV show \u201cBaywatch,\u201d told Austrian news agency APA ahead of the final.<\/p>\n The 41-year-old Goodrem, who had a string of international hits in the early 2000s, has raised hopes of a first win for her country with \u201cEclipse,\u201d a song evoking a romantic alignment of the planets.<\/p>\n Australia has appeared at Eurovision by invitation since 2015.<\/p>\n \t Goodrem\u2019s rise has come at the expense of Greece, Israel, Denmark and France, which have slipped in bookmakers\u2019 rankings.<\/p>\n Romania\u2019s Alexandra Capitanescu, 22, has managed to break into the top five thanks to an electrifying stage presence with her metal track \u201cChoke Me.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Sal Da Vinci, 57, could emerge as \u201cthe dark horse\u201d with his love song \u201cPer sempre si\u201d (\u201cForever yes\u201d), according to Sebastien Dias-das-Almas, a French journalist who has covered Eurovision since 2011.<\/p>\n A major figure on the Italian music scene, Da Vinci \u201ccould appeal to the traditional audience, who only follow the contest on television on the night of the event,\u201d Dias-das-Almas said.<\/p>\n \u2018Right side of history\u2019<\/p>\n Fans from 75 countries have flocked to Vienna for the spectacle.<\/p>\n Some 166 million viewers watched the contest on television last year when it was hosted in Switzerland.<\/p>\n Austria hopes to match that figure despite the boycott by Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain, and a call by more than 1,000 artists not to watch Eurovision over Israel\u2019s participation.<\/p>\n Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday said he was certain his country was on \u201cthe right side of history.\u201d<\/p>\n \t Pro-Palestinian activists organized an alternative concert dubbed \u201csong protest\u201d on Friday in downtown Vienna, which has been under tight security all week.<\/p>\n Israel has won the competition four times since it began competing in the Eurovision in 1973 \u2014 in 1978 with \u201cA-Ba-Ni-Bi,\u201d 1979 with \u201cHallelujah,\u201d 1998 with \u201cDiva\u201d and 2018 with \u201cToy.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tIsraeli supporters react as vote totals are announced during the first semifinal of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, May 12, 2026. (AP Photo\/Martin Meissner)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26135749868721-e1778925781349-640x400.jpg\")
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\n\t\tLinda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen from Finland perform the song \u201cLiekinheitin\u201d during the dress rehearsal for the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, May 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Martin Meissner)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26135725007370-640x400.jpg\")
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\n\t\tDelta Goodrem from Australia performs during the dress rehearsal for the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, May 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Martin Meissner)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26135527742952-e1778926594783-640x400.jpg\")
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\n\t\tPeople attend a song protest concert against Israel at the Maria Theresien Square in the city center of Vienna, Austria, during the 70th Eurovision Song Contest week, May 15, 2026. (AP Photo\/Martin Meissner)<\/p>\n
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