![\"Senhit](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/aol_the_evening_standard_us_585\/8d639b090f984b336c21d6d2a441d72a.jpeg\"\/)
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Senhit and Boy George were among those eliminated from Eurovision (Alma Bengtson\/EBU)<\/p>\n
The result means Moldova, Sweden, Croatia, Greece, Finland, Belgium, Lithuania, Poland, and Serbia all qualified alongside Israel<\/a>.<\/p>\n Before Bettan sang earlier in the night, BBC Eurovision commentator Rylan Clark<\/a> noted there had been \u201ca lot of controversy\u201d surrounding Israel at this year\u2019s contest.<\/p>\n After his song, Bettan told the crowd: \u201cThank you so much.\u201d<\/p>\n Bettan performed inside a shiny diamond, wearing a black outfit, surrounded by female dancers in black and white bodysuits.<\/p>\n A number of protests reportedly took place in the Austrian capital this week over Israel\u2019s inclusion in the contest amid its actions in Gaza, with Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Spain and Slovenia all boycotting the event in protest.<\/p>\n Russia was banned from Eurovision after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but Israel has continued to compete despite disputes.<\/p>\n Lithuania\u2019s Lion Ceccah was among the night\u2019s most eccentric performers (Alma Bengtson\/EBU)<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s 2025 entrant, Yuval Raphael received the largest number of votes from the public last May, ultimately finishing runner-up to Austrian winner JJ after the jury votes were taken into account.<\/p>\n Two protesters unsuccessfully attempted to storm the stage and throw paint during her performance.<\/p>\n UK entrant Look Mum No Computer, whose real name is Sam Battle, told the Press Association that people can \u201cexpress their opinions\u201d at the song contest.<\/p>\n Asked about the impact that protests against Israel\u2019s participation could have, Battle said: \u201cPeople can be themselves, and they can also express their opinions, and they can do that this year because the canned audience is unedited, so we\u2019ve just got to see what goes on\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cThe audience isn\u2019t controlled, the audience participations with the microphones, they\u2019re allowed to wave whatever flags within the sizing rules and the flammability rules and stuff, so we\u2019ve just got to get on with it.\u201d<\/p>\n Moldova\u2019s Satoshi opened the semi-final and qualified (Alma Bengtson\/EBU)<\/p>\n Elsewhere, Tuesday\u2019s semi-final was opened by Moldova\u2019s Satoshi, who performed his song Viva, Moldova!, while interesting performances came from Croatia\u2019s Lelek, who performed with face tattoos against a fantasy-themed backdrop, and Greece, whose entrant Akylas performed in a striking tiger print outfit.<\/p>\n Lithuania\u2019s Lion Ceccah also offered one of the night\u2019s most eccentric performances, painted silver and appearing in a Grim Reaper-like outfit, before stepping out of it and into black mist, which was mirrored by Serbian metal band Lavina, whose singer also wore a gothic outfit.<\/p>\n Finland\u2019s violinist Linda Lampenius and singer Pete Parkkonen performed their classically tinged pop song Liekinheitin, which is among the bookies\u2019 favourites to win the contest, backed by a collection of flaming wooden furniture.<\/p>\n Italy\u2019s Sal Da Vinci and Germany\u2019s Sarah Engels also performed alongside the 15 competitors, but are already qualified as part of the big four, who contribute the most to the song contest financially.<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Eurovision 2026 boycott explained as five countries pull out over Israel war<\/a><\/p>\n Look Mum No Computer says people can express opinions about Israel at Eurovision<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Lithuania\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/aol_the_evening_standard_us_585\/53d79ac667de835aa663fa1bf4bf1a54.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"Moldova\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/aol_the_evening_standard_us_585\/d6676c1e9ca362e77d38460bedeb312f.jpeg\"\/)
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