Bulgaria Wins Eurovision Song Contest
Digest more
On the eve of its 70th edition, the world’s biggest music competition is facing what many have described as the worst crisis in its history. Here's how we got here.
Despite Eurovision’s insistence it is apolitical, politics has always been part of the song contest. But this year, controversy over Israel may overshadow the event.
A New York Times investigation found a well-organized campaign by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government that embraced Eurovision as a soft power tool, and a secretive contest organizer that was ill-equipped to respond.
Contestant Noam Bettan apparently spent months preparing for potential disruptions to his entry for the international song contest.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Noam Bettan after Israel finished second in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday, May 16. The lead-up to this year’s event was dominated by the row over Israel’s inclusion, with five nations — Spain, Ireland, The Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland — withdrawing in protest.
Noam Bettan, Israel’s Eurovision candidate who took second place in the competition, sang in three languages, and chose to start his performance in Hebrew. Meanwhile, the winner — from Bulgaria — sang entirely in English. In all the news coverage of ...
The Times of Israel on MSN
Israel fires rubber bullets, blasts Eurovision song at Gaza flotilla boats
The post Israel fires rubber bullets, blasts Eurovision song at Gaza flotilla boats appeared first on The Times of Israel.
President Isaac Herzog hosted Israeli Eurovision representative Noam Bettan and congratulated him. 'You brought Israel's name into almost every home in the world.'