Israel will participate in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest on May 12 in Vienna, facing 14 other countries including several former winners. The contest has been marked by controversy, with some countries withdrawing or threatening to boycott unless Israel was excluded due to the ongoing war in Gaza. Despite these tensions, Israel was cleared to compete after a decision by the European Broadcasting Union, leading to withdrawals by Iceland, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Slovenia. The voting system has also come under scrutiny after Israel's entry received overwhelming public support but fewer points from juries, prompting calls for audits and reforms. In response, organizers have introduced new measures to strengthen voting integrity and reintroduced professional juries for the semi-finals.