Israel given Eurovision warning over breaking voting rules

WorldMusic
13 May 2026 • 4:23 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Israel given Eurovision warning over breaking voting rules

  • Israel's national broadcaster, Kan, received a formal warning from Eurovision organisers for encouraging viewers to "vote 10 times" for their delegate, Noam Bettan.
  • Kan shared videos on social media featuring Bettan instructing fans to use all 10 allocated votes for him in the first semi-final.
  • This action breached new Eurovision rules designed to limit third-party campaigns, although organisers acknowledged it was not a "large-scale funded" campaign.
  • The rule changes were implemented following controversy over Israel's result in last year's contest, which also saw a reduction in individual fan votes and an increase in professional jury votes.
  • Five countries, including Spain, withdrew from this year's competition in protest of Israel's participation, citing political implications and current events.

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