Bettan, who will be performing “Michelle” on the Eurovision stage, is set to hold his first official rehearsal on Sunday at the Wiener Stadthalle in the Austrian capital.

“Thank you to all the people of Israel, thank you for your love,” Bettan says in a video message from the airport distributed by the Kan public broadcaster. “Over the past few months, I felt the most love I’ve ever felt in my life. I feel like I’m departing with the biggest and strongest support.”

Bettan says he is “proud to represent our country, I promise we’ll do everything to make sure it’ll happen in the best way possible,” he adds.

The Israeli delegation, including backup dancers, officials from the Kan public broadcaster and other support staff, is departing under heavy security amid expected protests over Israel’s participation in the annual song contest. Five countries — Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia, Spain and the Netherlands — pulled out of the competition after a vote last year of European Broadcasting Union members cleared Israel to remain in the contest.

Featured image – The Times of Israel