Izhar Cohen is an Israeli singer and actor raised in a family of performers. At the age of 18, he joined the Nahal entertainment troupe (the same troupe that counted Yardena Arazi as one of its members) for his National Service in the army and was one of the most played artists in Israel during the 1970s.
He first represented his country at the Eurovision Song Contest 1978 in Paris along with the 5-piece group Alpha Beta performing the song A-Ba-Ni-Bi. The song won with 157 points, giving Israel its first victory and Izhar received a hero's welcome upon his return to Tel Aviv, being carried off the plane on the shoulders of the fans.
Seven years later, he took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 1985 in Gothenburg on his own, performing another up-tempo song, Olé, Olé. He finished again in the top 5, placing fifth.
Today he is a jewelry designer and he owns his own shop. He presented the Israeli jury vote results during the grand final of the 2019 contest in Tel Aviv.
In 2020, he participated in the Israeli version of The Masked Singer and was unmasked as the Bull.
| Eurovision Song Contest 1978 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
 Colm Wilkinson •  Jahn Teigen •  Ricchi e Poveri •  Seija Simola •  Gemini •  Joël Prévost •  José Vélez •  Co-Co •  Carol Vinci •  Jean Vallée •  Harmony •  Nilüfer & Nazar •  Ireen Sheer •  Caline & Olivier Toussaint •  Tania Tsanaklidou •  Mabel •  Baccara •  Izhar Cohen & Alpha Beta •  Springtime •  Björn Skifs
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| Songs | |||
| Born to Sing • Mil Etter Mil • Questo amore • Anna rakkaudelle tilaisuus • Da li dou • Il y aura toujours des violons • Bailamos un vals • Bad Old Days • Vivre • L'amour ça fait chanter la vie • 't Is OK • Sevince • Feuer • Les jardins de Monaco • Charlie Chaplin • Boom Boom • Parlez-vous français? • A-Ba-Ni-Bi • Mrs. Caroline Robinson • Det blir alltid värre framåt natten
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| Eurovision Song Contest 1985 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
Maria Christian • Sonja Lumme •  Lia Vissi • Hot Eyes • Paloma San Basilio • Roger Bens • MFÖ • Linda Lepomme • Adelaide Ferreira • Wind • Izhar Cohen • Al Bano & Romina Power • Bobbysocks! • Vikki Watson • Mariella Farre & Pino Gasparini • Kikki Danielsson • Gary Lux • Margo, Franck, Diane, Ireen, Chris & Malcolm • Takis Biniaris
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| Songs | |||
| Wait Until the Weekend Comes • Eläköön elämä • To Katalava Arga • Sku' du spørg' fra no'en? • La fiesta terminó • Femme dans ses rêves aussi • Didai Didai Dai • Laat me nu gaan • Penso em tei, eu sei • Für alle • Olé, Olé • Magic, oh, Magic • La Det Swinge • Love Is • Piano, Piano • Bra Vibrationer • Kinder dieser Welt • Children, Kinder, Enfants • Miazoume
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