Noam Bettan selected to represent Israel at Eurovision after winning ‘Rising Star’

Noam Bettan, 27, a singer born in Israel to French immigrant parents, is selected as Israel’s entrant in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

Bettan, who hails from Ra’anana, will represent Israel at the competition in Vienna in May after winning this season of “Hakochav Haba” (Rising Star) during tonight’s grand finale.

When this season of Rising Star premiered in November, Israel’s inclusion in this year’s contest was up in the air, as a growing chorus of artists and fans were calling for it to be barred from the competition over the war against Hamas in Gaza.

But last month members of the European Broadcasting Union voted overwhelmingly not to kick Israel out of the competition, a move which prompted Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Spain and Slovenia to boycott this year’s competition in protest.

Bettan is aware that he will not be welcomed to the contest in Austria with open arms, but he said he won’t let it faze him.

“It’s entering the lion’s den,” he said during an interview this morning with the Kan Gimmel radio station. “But I can say that seeing those few Israeli flags in the audience — look at that, and know that there’s a whole nation behind you, and you’re their voice. It’s truly a privilege.”

The song Bettan will sing at the contest is slated to be unveiled in March after being selected by a committee convened by the Kan public broadcaster, which organizes Israel’s participation in the contest.