Israel’s Knesset Committee on Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs held a follow-up session Wednesday to assess government preparations for protecting Israeli participants and supporters at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland.
The discussion followed a classified meeting on Monday, where security officials said they had drawn key lessons from the violent assault on Israeli fans following a soccer match in Amsterdam last November.
In response to the committee's demands, the Foreign Ministry, National Security Council and Diaspora Affairs Ministry will expand their presence and monitoring activities during the Eurovision events.
Committee chair Gilad Kariv opened the session by stressing that "our goal is to ensure the gaps identified in the classified session are addressed by the weekend." One conclusion raised in the earlier meeting was that Israeli travelers must install the IDF Home Front Command's emergency alert app on their phones in order to receive real-time warnings about security threats or areas to avoid.
"Every Israeli currently in Switzerland should make sure the Home Front Command app is installed," Kariv said. "Anti-Israeli activity poses a risk to Israeli supporters and fans in Basel. We requested that the Foreign Ministry's situation room be fully staffed, with social media monitoring and real-time tracking of planned protests."
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Foreign Ministry official Iris Ambor said the situation room would operate with two deputies on-site over the weekend, maintaining constant communication with Israeli citizens and allowing WhatsApp-based contact — unlike in the Amsterdam case.
Eitan Keidar, head of intelligence and counterterrorism at the National Security Council, said the agency is working directly with Israeli communities abroad as part of a special readiness plan.
He added that the council will conduct ongoing social media surveillance late into the night during key days, in coordination with the local Jewish community and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. “Our situation room is fully briefed and ready to respond to public inquiries," he said.
The situation room’s head, Neria Arnold, said full details of the security plans could not be disclosed in the open session to ensure the safety of Israelis and the Israeli delegation in Basel. "All relevant information was shared with the committee but we can't elaborate in public. We have extended the situation room's operating hours."
"We were convinced in the last session that there’s been a significant step-up in readiness across all agencies for this weekend, based on lessons from Amsterdam and other incidents. We insist that monitoring and activity continue throughout the weekend,” Kariv said.
“Your ministry has done a lot to monitor social media but coordination must be continuous — not limited to Eurovision days. The committee will not let go of this issue. We hope for the delegation’s safety — and success."