Israel has won the Eurovision Song Contest four times: Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta won in 1978 with “A-Ba-Ni-Bi”; Milk and Honey won in 1979 with “Hallelujah”; Dana International won in 1998 with “Diva”; and Netta won in 2018 with “Toy.” Israel first entered the contest in 1973, after the European Broadcasting Union admitted the Israel Broadcasting Authority as a member broadcaster.
Four wins across four decades
The first two victories came in consecutive years. “A-Ba-Ni-Bi,” performed by Izhar Cohen with the Alphabeta, won in Paris in 1978. The following year, Gali Atari and Milk and Honey won in Jerusalem with “Hallelujah.” These victories made Israel an established Eurovision competitor within a few years of its debut.
Dana International’s “Diva” won in 1998, in Birmingham. Netta’s “Toy” won in Lisbon in 2018. The entries use distinct styles and performers; the results reflect the contest’s voting, not a single formula for Israeli success. For the full record of Israel’s entries and results, consult the contest’s official Israel country page.
The contest connects local songs to European audiences
Eurovision entries are selected through Israel’s national selection process and performed for viewers across the participating broadcasters. Israel hosted after its wins in Jerusalem in 1979 and 1999, and in Tel Aviv in 2019. Hosting brings the production to Israel and puts Israeli venues, performers, and television crews before an international audience.
The contest also intersects with the broader Israeli music scene. Eurovision artists move between Hebrew-language and English-language releases, and some entries become domestic hits as well as contest performances. Netta’s win, for example, put “Toy” on international charts and introduced her performance style to viewers who had not followed Israeli pop.
Explore Eurovision alongside Israeli pop
Eurovision is a useful doorway into Israeli popular music, but it represents only a small slice of it. The contest does not include the full range of Hebrew song, Mizrahi music, rock, hip-hop, or electronic music. See the guide to Israeli music for the larger map, or read about Israeli artists working beyond Eurovision.