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Israeli singer wins Eurovision-2018 song contest

Netta won the ticket to represent Israel in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest after defeating her opponents in a reality music show

Israeli contestant Netta, the winner of the 63rd Eurovision song contest AP Photo/Armando Franca

Israeli contestant Netta, the winner of the 63rd Eurovision song contest

© AP Photo/Armando Franca

LISBON, May 13. /TASS/. Israeli contestant Netta (Netta Barzilai) scored 529 points and won the 63rd Eurovision song contest at the Altice arena in the Portuguese capital Lisbon on Saturday night.

Eleni Foureira of Cyprus with the song Fuego (Fire) was runner-up with 436 points, while Cesar Sampson of Austria with the song Nobody But You rounded out the top three, with 342 points.

Netta won the ticket to represent Israel in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest after defeating her opponents in a reality music show. One of authors of her Eurovision song "Toy" is Doron Medalie, who composed Tel Aviv’s anthem, Tel Aviv Ya Habibi.

Russian contestant Yulia Samoylova, who dropped out of the competition after the second semifinal, congratulated Netta on her Instagram page.

"Well done, Netta! Congratulations on your Eurovision victory. You deserve it!" she wrote.

Under the rules of the competition, the next year’s song contest will be hosted by Israel.

This is Israel's first Eurovision Song Contest victory in twenty years and is the country’s fourth overall, after 1978, 1979 and 1998.

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