Israeli Contestants’ High Public Votes at Eurovision Points to Divide Between Public and Elites, Analysts Say
For the third consecutive year, audiences in countries such as France and Germany awarded Israel the maximum number of points in the public televote.
TL;DR
- Israel has ranked highly among Eurovision fans but received lower scores from professional juries.
- Observers suggest a gap between public and elite sentiment due to geopolitical events.
- In the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, Israel ranked second and received maximum points from Germany and France.
- Despite public support, some European nations called for Israel's removal from the contest.
- Israel faced scrutiny following its response to the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.