Israel's ESC star Yuval Raphael defies protests: a strong sign!

Israel's ESC star Yuval Raphael defies protests: a strong sign!

Basel, Schweiz - On May 22, 2025, the final of the Eurovision Song Contest took place in Basel, Switzerland, in which Yuval Raphael Israel represented. The 24-year-old singer is a survivor of the devastating Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023 and only communicated to the media for a limited extent in the days before the event. Ambassador David Roet invited you to visit Israel to hear a different perspective on the events. Roet emphasizes the importance of dialogue in such challenging times, especially in view of the ongoing protests against Israeli participation in the competition.

Raphael's appearance was unforgettable, although he was accompanied by tensions. At the end of her performance, in which she performed the song "New Day Will Rise", her garment got stuck on a chandelier. She closed her performance with the words "Thank you, Europe. I love you, Merci, Todah." These strong conclusions were well received by the audience, while both Pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators were present in front of the event location.

protests and support

The participation of Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest has still triggered a heated debate. Protests took place in the run -up to the competition, with demonstrators demanding Israel's discharge. In Basel, around 200 people with pro-Palestinian flags moved through the streets. Many spectators of the event felt threatened in their support for Raphael, which is reflected in reports from participants such as Naomi from Rishon Lezion, who hid their Israeli flag to avoid harassment.

Nevertheless, there was also a strong pro-Israeli countermovement. A march who supported Israel also took place near the arena. The security forces had to intervene to keep the protests apart because some applied demonstrators tried to disturb Raphael's performance.

reactions to victory and controversy

JJ, the Austrian countertenor and winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, also made headlines. Inspired by the controversial Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko, who is criticized because of her proximity to Vladimir Putin, his victory triggered negative reactions in Ukraine. On the Internet, Ukrainian users expressed their aversion to JJ and the victory of Austria, which in comments such as "Shit on Eurovision!" and other insulting statements were expressed. Netrebko itself has been under pressure since the beginning of the Ukraine War, their appearances are regularly accompanied by protests.

The Eurovision has named the winner four times in its over 50 years of history and the challenges with which the participants are confronted with this turbulent period underline the complexity of the competition. The European radio union emphasizes that the participation of Israel is not represented by the government, but is supported by the broadcaster Kan. This statement is intended to attribute the competition to the values of neutrality and inclusiveness, while the space is emphasized for different perspectives.