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. Israel secured the runner-up spot at Eurovision 2026 despite several countries boycotting the competition over its participation citing the war in Gaza. “You stood tall against those hollow verbal potshots,” Netanyahu told Bettan. The singer said he was proud to represent Israel and hoped the result would bring “unity”.