A survivor of the Hamas attack on a music festival in 2023 has qualified for Eurovision‘s grand final tomorrow amid furious protests over Israel’s controversial participation in the competition.
Yuval Raphael, who will perform New Day Will Rise, saw her preview show interrupted yesterday by six pro-Palestinian demonstrators carrying flags.
Under the arena rules, all flags are allowed but there are limits on size, and so the audience members were quickly ejected from the St Jakobshalle arena.
Later on, footage from the TV broadcast semi-final shows the Israeli entry being booed once again by some sections of the audience.
The jeers are even more audible on social media footage of the performance – but Raphael was still one of the 10 acts to suceed in yesterday’s public vote and make it through to the grand final.
Israel’s participation in Eurovision has been a source of controversy since its invasion of Gaza in October 2023.
More than 53,000 people have been killed by Israel’s bombardment of the besieged territory, with all aid blocked from entering Gaza since March.
Broadcasters in Spain, Ireland and Slovenia have called for a debate on Israel’s involvement, with protests also taking place in Basel, where Eurovision is being hosted.
Raphael, 24, was one of the survivors of the Hamas attack on the Nova Festival on October 7, 2023 that prompted the invasion. She hid underneath a pile of dead bodies for hours until she was rescued.
Yuval Raphael, who will perform New Day Will Rise, saw her preview show interrupted yesterday by six pro-Palestinian demonstrators carrying flags
Israel’s participation in Eurovision has been a source of controversy since its invasion of Gaza in October 2023
Under the arena rules, all flags are allowed but there are limits on size, and so the audience members were quickly ejected from the St Jakobshalle arena
Raphael, 24, was one of the survivors of the Hamas attack on the Nova Festival on October 7, 2023
Despite the ongoing tension, her song is currently among the favourites to win, according to bookmakers
The singer said her team were preparing for a hostile reception from the audience by rehearsing with background sounds.
‘I think I’m expecting it [booing],’ she told the BBC.
‘But we are here to sing and I’m going to sing my heart out for everyone.
‘Everybody has opinions. I’m really putting everything aside and just concentrating on the most important thing.
The slogan this year is “united by music” and that’s what we are here for.’
On Sunday, during the Eurovision opening parade in the Swiss host city of Basel, the Israeli broadcasting delegation made a complaint to the police and the EBU after accusing a pro-Palestinian demonstrator of making a throat-slitting gesture and spitting at the delegation.
Raphael said: ‘It was scary at times, even uncomfortable, but it makes me keep reminding myself why I’m here and my agenda, which is spreading as much love as I can and bringing pride to my country.’
Despite the ongoing tension, her song is currently among the favourites to win, according to bookmakers.
Last week, more than 70 former Eurovision contestants signed a letter calling on the organisers to ban Israel from the competition.
Broadcasters in Spain, Ireland and Slovenia have called for a debate on Israel’s involvement, with protests also taking place in Basel, where Eurovision is being hosted
Last week, more than 70 former Eurovision contestants signed a letter calling on the organisers to ban Israel from the competition
Raphael said her team were preparing for a hostile reception from the audience by rehearsing with background sounds
The Israeli broadcasting delegation made a complaint to the police and the EBU after accusing a pro-Palestinian demonstrator of making a throat-slitting gesture
They appealed to organisers to ban Israel and its national broadcaster from the contest over the country’s ‘genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza and the decades-long regime of apartheid and military occupation against the entire Palestinian people.’
It added: ‘By continuing to platform the representation of the Israeli state, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is normalising and whitewashing its crimes.’
The signatories included former winners Charlie McGettigan, Salvador Sobral and Fernando Tordo.
In previous years, other countries have been banned from the contest. Belarus was suspended in 2021 after submitting an overtly political entry and a year later Russia was barred over the war in Ukraine.
Earlier this month Irish national broadcaster RTÉ asked the EBU for a discussion on Israel’s inclusion.
Director General Kevin Bakhurst, said he was ‘appalled by the ongoing events in the Middle East and by the horrific impact on civilians in Gaza, and the fate of Israeli hostages’.
Eurovision director Martin Green said organised understood ‘the concerns and deeply held views around the current conflict in the Middle East’, but that members should ensure the event remains a “universal event that promotes connections, diversity and inclusion through music’.
Tomorrow’s event comes as Gazans faced another deadly night of Israeli airstrikes.
The territory’s civil defence agency says at least another 50 people have been killed, after more than 120 were killed yesterday.
