The final rehearsal for the second Eurovision semi-final took place Wednesday night in Switzerland ahead of the main event scheduled for today.
Israeli contestant Yuval Raphael performed her song, New Day Will Rise, in front of a live audience and received loud applause. A single shout of “Free Palestine” was heard from the crowd. Her performance was slightly weaker than her earlier rendition at the press rehearsal, showing some strain in the high notes, but the audience still responded positively.
(Video: Ran Boker)
Yoav Tzafir, director of the Israeli entry, told Ynet: “We’re pleased and excited for tomorrow. The audience received her very well. Now it’s time to focus and get a good night’s sleep ahead of the big day.”
Among those present in the arena were Keren Peles, who co-wrote the song and whose selection had stirred controversy, as well as Raphael’s mother, who is closely accompanying her. Contrary to concerns within the Israeli delegation, Palestinian flags were barely seen in the audience—only a single flag appeared at the edge of the hall—while several Israeli flags were visible.
Raphael was warmly received during the rehearsal, which was held and filmed before a live audience. This stood in contrast to last year’s Israeli representative, Eden Golan, who was met with loud boos in Malmö. Members of the Israeli delegation had prepared Raphael for the possibility of similar treatment. “The crowd moved me to tears. I was ready for boos—and I didn’t hear a single one,” a visibly emotional Raphael said after the rehearsal.
Roughly an hour before the rehearsal, a small pro-Palestinian protest took place in downtown Basel, drawing a few dozen demonstrators with Palestinian flags and coverage by local media. One incident occurred when a Swiss man supporting Israel confronted the protesters, calling them antisemitic and refusing to leave until separated by police.
This marks the second consecutive year of protests against Israel in the Eurovision host city, fueled by the ongoing war in Gaza. In Malmö last year, thousands demonstrated ahead of Eden Golan’s performance, with some chanting “Send the Jews back to Poland” and stomping on Israeli flags.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Raphael and the Israeli delegation arrived in Basel last week. While rehearsals went smoothly and the team expressed satisfaction, Eurovision week began on a tense note. At the official opening ceremony on the turquoise carpet, a pro-Palestinian protest broke out, featuring numerous Palestinian flags and anti-Israel signs. One protester even made a throat-slitting gesture toward the Israeli delegation, prompting Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan, to file a complaint with Swiss police. Although members of the delegation were questioned, a spokesperson for Basel’s Department of Justice and Security, Ruben Broker, told Ynet that “no arrests have been made at this time.”
Raphael is set to compete in the second semi-final on Thursday, which will be broadcast on Kan. The grand final is scheduled for Saturday night.