Eurovision warns Israel over voting influence as rules tightened

Martin Green, the director of Eurovision, has formally cautioned Israeli broadcaster Kan after its contestant shared videos encouraging fans to cast multiple votes. He emphasized that voting behaviors are under close scrutiny due to worries that social media posts from the Israeli government might have swayed last year's outcomes. In response, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) revamped this year's voting system, which now limits votes to 10, mandates credit card information for online voting, and discourages excessive promotional efforts by external parties. Israel successfully advanced to the grand final from the first semi-final in Vienna. Green expressed optimism that the five broadcasters from Spain, the Netherlands, and Ireland boycotting the 2026 contest would reconsider, highlighting the importance of finding friendly solutions.