Israel Archives

Eurovision 2017 Winner Salvador Sobral Attacks Cristiano Ronaldo

October 17, 2026 by Eitan Melamed Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Portuguese Eurovision winner Salvador Sobral has triggered a massive media reaction following severe criticisms aimed at football star Cristiano Ronaldo on Spanish television. Portuguese singer Salvador Sobral, who won Eurovision 2017 representing Portugal with the song "Amar pelos dois" (in English: "Loving for Both of Us"), appeared on the Spanish television show "La Revuelta" to promote his new album "A Flor do Recomeço" (in English: "The Flower of the New Beginning"). The interview with the singer quickly shifted from music to a discussion about the Portuguese national football team. Sobral launched a harsh critique against the team's superstar and one of the world's most famous athletes, Cristiano Ronaldo. Sobral's remarks ignited a media storm in Portugal, alongside furious reactions from Ronaldo's family and fans. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "He Has Demigod Syndrome" - Salvador Sobral Goes On The Attack The interview topic, which was not originally focused on football, grew heated when Salvador Sobral chose to address the...

Eurovision 2027: Is Ireland’s Boycott About Israel or Money?

October 17, 2026October 17, 2026 by Ofek Jerassi Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); RTÉ’s Eurovision boycott of Israel comes amid a financial crisis, following a scandal over secret payments and a wider debate in Ireland The decision by Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ to boycott Eurovision 2027 because of Israel’s participation has made waves across Europe and beyond. Ireland has sought to position itself as a champion of human rights, but questions remain over the motives behind the decision. The boycott cannot be viewed separately from the financial problems that have plagued Irish public broadcasting in recent years, including a major scandal involving the broadcaster’s management. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Human Rights Champions - or a Broadcaster Short of Money? Ireland withdrew from Eurovision 2026 amid strong opposition to Israel’s participation, and continued that approach for 2027. In August, RTÉ announced that Ireland would boycott the contest for a second consecutive year because Israel would take part. At the time of the announcement, Ireland was the only country...

Yuval Raphael and Matisyahu Team Up For a New Single About October 7th

October 7, 2026October 9, 2026 by Avrumi Herz Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Yuval Raphael and Matisyahu: Israeli Eurovision runner-up and Jewish Reggae-style artist team up for emotional single about the 7/10 massacre On October 5th, 2026, artists Yuval Raphael and Matisyahu released a new pop-R&B single, "Carry On", a deep, poignant expression of resilience, hope, and healing leading up to the third anniversary of the October 7th terrorist attacks. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Click here to hear the emotional single about October 7th: Yuval Raphael, 2024 Eurovision Israeli second-place winner, and Matisyahu, a Jewish Caribbean Reggae/hip-hop artist from America, have come together to create a song by the name of "Carry On". It has been unveiled just two days before the anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks of October 7th 2023. It expresses hope, resilience, unity, and healing, while also acknowledging suffering and the ability to choose life. It is written by Rachel Sapoznik and features production from producer Rico Love, winner of multiple Grammy Awards, along with co-production by Samson...

Azerbaijani Eurovision Star Efendi Will Return To Israel

September 28, 2026 by Avrumi Herz Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Efendi, the Azeri representative at Eurovision 2021, is slated to appear at Israel's OGAE celebration marking 40 years, which will be her first time back since her previous stay in Israel during the October 7th Hamas-led attacks. As one of the more popular artists in Azerbaijan, Efendi was originally supposed to compete in Eurovision 2020 with the song "Cleopatra", which of course got cancelled. She ended up appearing in next year's edition with "Mata Hari", reaching the final and finishing 20th with 65 points. Now, Efendi will be travelling to Israel for its OGAE party and performing with several other stars. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A Full-Circle Moment This isn't just a regular visit from another Eurovision artist, but more a moment of closure for Efendi. In 2023, she travelled to Israel to perform at that year's OGAE meeting on October 5th, which happened to be a celebration of Israel's 50th year in Eurovision. However, just two days later, Hamas began a deadly attack on southern Israel. Efendi was staying in...

EBU Responds to RTÉ’s Withdrawal From Eurovision 2027

September 18, 2026 by Oscar Diefenthal Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); EBU regrets RTÉ’s Eurovision 2027 withdrawal but says Ireland’s return remains possible in future editions. Shortly after the Irish national broadcaster RTÉ announced that it would also withdraw from Eurovision 2027, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) published an official response to the decision. The EBU expressed regret over Ireland’s absence while emphasizing its respect for RTÉ’s decision. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Martin Green, Eurovision Director, said: “The European Broadcasting Union regrets that RTÉ will not participate in Eurovision 2027, but we fully respect its decision. We recognize its immense contribution to the Contest and will miss its presence, as it remains a highly valued member of the Eurovision family.” Green also addressed Eurovision’s role in connecting people and countries through music, noting that the competition is at its best when broadcasters and artists from different countries come together to share music, celebrate creativity and build connections between audiences. According to Green, Eurovision’s ability to “bring people...

RTÉ Confirms Ireland Will Boycott Eurovision 2027 Over Israel

September 17, 2026 by Ofek Jerassi Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); RTÉ will boycott Eurovision 2027 over Israel’s participation, while Ireland’s football commitments highlight a different approach to sporting events. RTÉ, Ireland’s national broadcaster, which already boycotted Eurovision 2026 following controversy surrounding Israel’s participation, will continue its policy and boycott Eurovision 2027. While other countries including Spain, Iceland, Slovenia and the Netherlands appear to be taking steps toward returning to the contest and ending their boycotts, Ireland - traditionally one of Europe’s most critical countries toward Israel - will continue its boycott, at least for now, standing alone. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Boycotting Israel - Only When It Is Convenient? Ireland is currently the only country to have announced a boycott of Eurovision 2027. It will not only refuse to compete in the contest, but will also refuse to broadcast it. In a statement, RTÉ explained the decision by saying that “participation cannot be justified while the killing and terrible humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues,...

Eurovision 2027: Artists That Should Represent Italy, Israel and Romania

September 16, 2026September 16, 2026 by Adiel Shtainmetz Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Part five: Our special article series continues, and it’s better than ever! Who should represent Italy, Israel, and Romania at Eurovision 2027 in Bulgaria? Read our full list below. Preparations for Eurovision 2027 in Bulgaria are underway, and the list of participating countries is taking shape. While everyone waits for official announcements, we've decided to get ahead and reveal the artists who must compete. We continue with the next countries to confirm participation in Eurovision 2027: Italy, Israel, and Romania. Here is the list of artists for whom we believe the Eurovision stage is the perfect platform for them. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Here is the full playlist of all the artists best suited to represent their country at Eurovision! Save it, play it, and get a reminder of the artists we chose in the previous articles. Who Should Represent Italy at Eurovision 2027? Click the song title to listen! Clara: Clara Soccini, known simply by her first name Clara, was born...

Isabell Otrebus Reveals Shelved Irish Eurovision 2026 Entry

September 6, 2026 by Ella Braginskiy Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Isabell Otrebus releases "Nightmare", an entry originally prepared for RTÉ's Irish Eurovision 2026 selection before the nation chose to boycott the contest. Singer Isabell Otrebus and Greek composer Nikos Sofis have revealed the song "Nightmare". The original track was written to compete in the Irish national selection for Eurovision 2026. However, the project was ultimately shelved following Ireland's dramatic decision to withdraw from the competition this year. Now, the song's release offers fans an intriguing glimpse into what could have represented the country (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Ireland is one of five nations that decided to boycott the contest this year due to Israel's participation. Despite the official stance from the Irish national broadcaster, it has emerged that several artists had already begun practical preparations for the season. Otrebus is well known to contest fans primarily for competing in the Polish national selection in 2017 and 2018. This year, she hoped to try...

Breaking The Curse: Netta Barzilai Predicts Eurovision 2027 Host City

August 13, 2026 by Ofek Jerassi Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Netta Barzilai correctly predicts Burgas as the host city of Eurovision 2027, ending a long-running streak of famously inaccurate guesses. Eurovision 2027 is heading to Burgas! Netta Barzilai, the winner of Eurovision 2018, has become famous among Eurovision fans for repeatedly failing to predict the contest's host city year after year. Now, for the first time since her victory, she has correctly guessed the host city of Eurovision 2027 - the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Burgas. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Watch Netta’s announcement here! הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם ‏‎פוסט משותף על ידי ‏‎Netta Barzilai‎‏ (@‏‎nettabarzi‎‏)‎‏ A Tradition of Missed Predictions Netta's host city predictions have become a Eurovision tradition ever since her victory in 2018. While accepting the Eurovision trophy, she famously declared, "Next year in Jerusalem" - a prediction that ultimately proved incorrect when Tel Aviv was chosen to host Eurovision 2019 instead. Since then, she has continued making annual predictions about which city would host...

HaKokhav HaBa Returns: Israel Confirms Participation in Eurovision 2027

July 12, 2026July 12, 2026 by Adiel Shtainmetz Comment Closed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Kan and Keshet confirm Israel's participation in Eurovision 2027 in Bulgaria, renewing their "HaKokhav HaBa" collaboration following Noam Bettan's success. It is now official: The Israeli national broadcaster Kan and the Keshet broadcasting network have agreed to continue their collaboration for Eurovision 2027. With this agreement, Israel officially confirms its participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2027, which will be held in Bulgaria. Additionally, the agreement allows for the continuation of the popular program "HaKokhav Haba for Eurovision", through which the Israeli representative for the coveted contest will be selected. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); ‎‏ The Ongoing Success Of "HaKokhav HaBa" The decision to continue the collaboration for the tenth time comes on the heels of the impressive success of Noam Bettan at Eurovision 2026, where the singer achieved a respectable second place for the second consecutive year with the song "Michelle". Yuval Raphael, the Israeli representative for Eurovision 2025, also secured a highly respectable second place with the song "New...