Israel's Eurovision contestant Noam Bettan said he was shocked by protests that disrupted his semi final performance in Vienna. Several audience members were removed from the arena after chants of 'stop the genocide' were heard, and one protester had 'Free Palestine' written across his chest.

Bettan said he was aware of booing during the performance and described feeling a moment of surprise as the disruption unfolded. Israel's participation in the competition has been contentious since the start of the war in Gaza in 2023, leading to ongoing demonstrations at related events.