At the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, where most contestants are trying to get as much attention as possible, Israel's representative Yuval Raphael is taking the opposite approach.
The 24-year-old singer, who will perform in the second semi-final today, has barely given interviews or made any public appearances this week. Her entry into the contest comes against the backdrop of protests that have accompanied Israel's second consecutive appearance at Eurovision, protesting the country's actions in the Gaza war.
Experts say Raphael, who survived a Hamas attack on a music festival in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, is likely to secure a place in Saturday's final. The singer performs the powerful and hopeful song "New Day Will Rise."
Israel has participated in Eurovision for over 50 years and won four times then. However, in recent years, especially during the 2024 contest in Sweden, protests at home and abroad have intensified, demanding the end of Israel's participation.
