Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest

Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest
Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest
Participating broadcaster	Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan; 2018–) Former members Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA; 1973–2017) ;
Participation summary
Appearances	46 (39 finals)
First appearance	1973
Highest placement	1st: 1978, 1979, 1998, 2018
Host	1979, 1999, 2019
	Participation history 1973; 1974; 1975; 1976; 1977; 1978; 1979; 1980; 1981; 1982; 1983; 1984; 1985; 1986; 1987; 1988; 1989; 1990; 1991; 1992; 1993; 1994; 1995; 1996; 1997; 1998; 1999; 2000; 2001; 2002; 2003; 2004; 2005; 2006; 2007; 2008; 2009; 2010; 2011; 2012; 2013; 2014; 2015; 2016; 2017; 2018; 2019; 2020; 2021; 2022; 2023; 2024; ;
Related articles
	Israel Song Festival; Kdam Eurovision; HaKokhav HaBa; The X Factor Israel;
External links
	Israel's page at Eurovision.tv
	For the most recent participation see; Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024

Israel has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 46 times since making its debut in 1973. The current Israeli participant broadcaster in the contest is the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan). Israel has won the contest four times, and has hosted the contest in Jerusalem in 1979 and 1999, and in Tel Aviv in 2019.

Israel's first appearance in the contest in 1973 was successful, with "Ey Sham" performed by Ilanit finishing fourth. Israel then achieved victories in 1978 and 1979, with "A-Ba-Ni-Bi" by Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta, and "Hallelujah" by Milk and Honey. In 1980, the Israeli broadcaster declined to host the contest for a second successive year for financial reasons, and as the date for the contest in the Hague conflicted with Yom HaZikaron – Israeli Memorial Day – Israel did not participate. This is the only instance of a winning country not competing the following year. The country's best results in the 1980s were second-place finishes for "Hora" by Avi Toledano in 1982 and "Hi" by Ofra Haza in 1983. Former winner Izhar Cohen returned to place fifth with "Olé, Olé" in 1985, before "Kan" by Duo Datz finished third in 1991. Israel achieved its third victory in 1998, with "Diva" by Dana International. "Happy Birthday" by Eden then finished fifth in 1999. To date, Israel has the record for most participations and most wins in the contest without ever coming last, but it has placed second to last in the final three times, in 1986, 1993, and 2006, and got nul points from the juries in 2019.

Since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004, Israel has failed to reach the final six times. In 2005, "HaSheket SheNish'ar" by Shiri Maimon gave the country its tenth top five result, finishing fourth. Having failed to qualify for the final for four consecutive years (2011–14), Israel reached the final in 2015 with "Golden Boy" by Nadav Guedj ultimately finishing ninth, and the country has participated in the final every year since, with the exception of 2022. Israel won the contest for a fourth time in 2018, with "Toy" by Netta.