Israeli singer Netta Barzilai was voted on Tuesday to be one of the 10 singers in the final of the Eurovision song contest.
Barzilai, who performed the song “Toy,” will join finalists from Estonia, Cyprus, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, Albania and Bulgaria.
At the end of the performance, Israeli fans and her family held up Israeli flags, with Barzilai calling out kapara aleichem!, an Israeli term of endearment.
Barzilai, who reportedly fell down the stairs after it was announced that she had made it to the finals, said she was “proud and excited,” and promised “to do whatever I can to bring next year’s Eurovision to Israel.”
Israel has won the Eurovision three times: in 1978 with Izhar Cohen and Alphabeta singing “A-Ba-Ni-Bi”; in 1979 in Jerusalem with Gali Atari and the group Milk & Honey performing “Hallelujah”; and in 1998 with Dana International singing “Diva.”
The second semi-final takes place on Thursday, prior to the final performances on Saturday night, May 12.
Voters can participate by downloading the Eurovision app.
