Israel’s Eurovision Participation Under Scrutiny as Singer Yuval Raphael Faces Threats

Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest have agreed to have a broader discussion about Israel’s participation in the contest after receiving a formal request by Ireland’s public broadcaster, RTÉ, and following threats made to Israeli singer Yuval Raphael for competing in the competition.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the Eurovision Song Contest, has been facing growing pressure from former contestants and public broadcasters around the world to ban Israel from this year’s competition. Critics are citing opposition to Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip, during its war against Hamas-led terrorists from Gaza who orchestrated the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel. Following Monday’s release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, Hamas is still holding 58 Israeli hostages in Gaza whom they abducted during the Oct. 7 attack.

The EBU has repeatedly insisted that despite criticism against Israel, the Israeli public broadcaster Kan meets all criteria to participate in the 2025 Eurovision contest, held this year in Basel, Switzerland. Yuval Raphael — a survivor of the Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel — will represent the Jewish state in this year’s competition.

Most recently, RTÉ Director-General Kevin Bakhurst called for the EBU to review Israel’s inclusion in the Eurovision. Bakhurst confirmed that he, along with RTÉ’s Director of Video Steve Carson, had a meeting on Friday with the EBU about the Irish broadcaster’s concerns. In response, the EBU committed to having “a wider discussion amongst members in due course” about Israel’s participation, RTE said in a released statement on Friday.

“I am appalled by the ongoing events in the Middle East and by the horrific impact on civilians in Gaza, and the fate of Israeli hostages,” Bakhurst said last week. “Notwithstanding the fact that the criterion for participating in the Eurovision Song Contest is membership of the European Broadcasting Union, RTÉ has nonetheless asked the EBU for a discussion on Israel’s inclusion in the contest. In doing this, we are mindful of RTÉ’s obligations as an independent, impartial public service news and current affairs provider, and of the need to maintain RTÉ’s objectivity in covering the war in Gaza. We are also very mindful of the severe political pressure on Israel’s public service broadcaster, Kan, from the Israeli government.”

Public broadcasters in Iceland, Slovenia, and Spain have also raised concerns about Israel’s inclusion in the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest.

On Sunday, the Israeli delegation to the Eurovision was participating in a parade in Basel for the competition when a man made a threatening hand gesture toward the delegation, including Raphael, that showed him slitting a throat, the Israeli publication Ynet reported. The man was also carrying a Palestinian flag and wore a black T-shirt that called for a boycott of Israel, as seen in footage shared by Ynet from the incident. Kan said it made a complaint to local police about the threatening gesture, and members of the Israeli delegation told Ynet the gesture was a clear indication of a threat to commit murder and should be taken seriously.

Several anti-Israel protesters attended Sunday’s parade carrying Palestinians flags, as well as signs that accused Israel of apartheid and criticized its participation in the 2025 Eurovision amid the war in Gaza. Raphael appeared in the parade waving an Israeli flag as her Eurovision song, “New Day Will Rise,” played in the background. She walked on stage during a segment of the event and was accompanied by a bodyguard who kept an eye on the crowd, as part of increased security measures for the Israeli delegation due to criticism surrounding Israel’s participation in the contest.

“New Day Will Rise” is a ballad written by singer and songwriter Keren Peles. The song is mostly in English but features some French and Hebrew lyrics. Raphael will perform the song in the second semi-final of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest on May 15 and if she advances, she will compete in the grand final two days later on May 17.

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