Bulgarian pop singer Darina Yotova, known as Dara, won the 70th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday with her catchy track 'Bangaranga', marking Bulgaria's first victory in the competition.

Israeli singer Noam Bettan finished second with his rock ballad 'Michelle', performed in Hebrew, French and English. His performance drew cheers and some boos; earlier in the week, four people were ejected for attempting to disrupt his semifinal show.

Israel's participation triggered the largest political boycott in Eurovision history, with Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia refusing to take part, citing Israel's war in Gaza, which has killed over 72,740 Palestinians since October 2023. Spanish broadcaster RTVE also refused to air the show.

Hundreds of protesters marched near the venue before the final, holding signs reading 'Block Eurovision'. Pro-Palestinian groups held an outdoor concert on Friday under the banner 'No stage for genocide'.

Belgian broadcaster VRT said it was unlikely to compete next year unless the European Broadcasting Union holds a direct vote on Israel's participation.

Eurovision organizers tightened voting rules this year amid allegations that Israel mounted an intense lobbying campaign to secure votes for its entry.

Source: www.aljazeera.com