Israel's Eurovision contestant Yuval Raphael performed her first rehearsal Tuesday at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, delivering the song "New Day Will Rise." The Israeli delegation expressed satisfaction with the performance.
"Yuval was amazing and emotional," sources from the delegation told Ynet. "Everyone here was impressed." A statement from the Israeli broadcasting corporation, Kan, described Rafael’s performance as powerful and emotional, highlighted by one of the most impressive stage setups in recent Eurovision history.
The stage featured a massive chandelier, standing 5.5 meters tall and 3.5 meters wide, adorned with hundreds of crystal stones. The chandelier is a visual continuation of the official music video for "New Day Will Rise," ending with a two-meter-high balcony — an artistic nod to the famous balcony where Zionist leader Theodor Herzl stood during his historic visit to Basel. Raphael performed solo on stage, without dancers or backup singers, marking a departure from recent years of Israeli Eurovision performances.
The delegation added that Raphael "astonished the production team" by delivering the song with immense power while climbing the chandelier’s stairs. Yoav Tsafir, the director of the Israeli delegation, praised Raphael’s professionalism, noting that she had not performed on stage until just six months ago.
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Raphael, who arrived with the Israeli delegation in Switzerland Monday, expressed her excitement ahead of the contest. "I am beyond excited," she said before departing for Basel. "Thank you to everyone who gave me the opportunity to reach this point. I hope to bring as much honor as possible and represent this country with the respect it deserves." She also expressed her hopes for the swift return of all hostages held in Gaza.
This year’s Eurovision comes amid continued calls for Israel’s removal from the competition, particularly due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. A petition signed by 70 former Eurovision participants urges the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to expel both Israel and its public broadcaster from the event. The letter accuses the broadcaster of being "a significant player in Israel’s war crimes in Gaza" and in the "ongoing apartheid and military occupation" of Palestinians. Public broadcasters in Iceland, Slovenia, and Spain have also called for Israel’s removal from the competition.
In response to the boycott calls, the EBU stated that it is "aware of concerns surrounding the Middle East conflict" and is maintaining ongoing dialogue with participating countries.