Shiri Maimon singing her hit 'Hasheket Shenishar' at the finals of the Eurovision Song Competition in Kiev on Saturday.
Israel's Shiri Maimon places fourth in Eurovision Song Contest
KIEV - Israel finished fourth in the Eurovision Song Contest early on Sunday. Israel was represented by Shiri Maimon, who sang her hit 'Hasheket Shenishar.'
Greek singer Helena won the contest with a seductive performance of "My Number One," a mid-tempo tune peppered with Balkan flavorings.
The singer, whose full name is Helena Paparizou, had been seen by bookmakers as the favorite going into Saturday night's finals. Norway's Wig Wam, seen as her main rival, finished in the middle of the pack. The surprise runner-up was Malta's Chiara. Romania's Luminita Anghel placed third in the continentwide telephone voting.
Eurovision is one of Europe's most widely watched events, with more than 150 million people expected to tune in to this year's edition.
"This is the prize for the song that unites all Europe," Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said in presenting the award. Kiev hosted the competition this year after Ukrainian singer Ruslana won last year in Istanbul.
Due to Helena's victory, Greece will have the honor of hosting next year's competition.
