Bulgaria has won the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, while the Israeli Embassy in Poland expressed gratitude after the Polish jury awarded its representative the maximum score of 12 points.
Eurovision 2026 Results
Bulgaria won the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest with 516 points. Israel followed with 343 points, and Romania took third place with 296 points. The final rankings were determined by a combination of audience votes and independent jury scores.
Poland’s Jury Decision
The Polish jury, consisting of Viki Gabor, Eliza Orzechowska, Filip Kuncewicz, Jasiek Piwowarczyk, Staś Kukulski, Wiktoria Kida, and Maurycy Żółtański, was the only national panel to award Israel the maximum 12 points. Each juror independently ranks ten countries, with an algorithm then calculating the official national jury ranking, which is subsequently combined with public votes.
Diplomatic Appreciation
The Embassy of Israel in Poland issued a statement via the platform X thanking the Polish jury for their recognition of representative No’am Bettan. The embassy expressed appreciation for the warm reception and the “douze points” awarded by Poland.
Controversy and International Boycotts
Israel’s participation in the contest faced significant criticism due to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in over 70,000 Palestinian deaths, with estimates suggesting that more than half are children, women, or individuals over the age of 65. In protest of Israel’s inclusion in the 70th anniversary edition, Spain, the Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland, and Slovenia boycotted the event.
International Legal Allegations
A UN commission of inquiry stated that there are grounds to believe Israel has committed four of the five acts of genocide as defined by international law since the war with Hamas began in October 2023, including killing group members, causing serious physical and mental harm, deliberate imposition of conditions for destruction, and preventing births.
Israel’s Defense
Israel consistently denies the allegations of genocide, asserting that its military operations are directed solely against Hamas, which it accuses of using the civilian population as human shields.
