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Israelâs presence still roils Eurovision a year after major protests over the Gaza war
Israelâ??s Yuval Raphael is keeping a low profile at the Eurovision Song Contest
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Most contestants at the Eurovision Song Contest are seeking as much publicity as possible.
Israelâs Yuval Raphael is keeping a low profile.
The 24-year old singer has done few media interviews or appearances during Eurovision week, as Israelâs participation in the pan-continental pop music competition draws protests for a second year.
Raphael is due to perform Thursday in the second of two semi-finals at the contest in the Swiss city of Basel. Oddsmakers suggest Raphael, a survivor of Hamasâ Oct. 7, 2023 attack on a music festival in southern Israel, is likely to secure a place in Saturdayâs final with her anthemic song âNew Day Will Rise.â
Israel has competed in Eurovision for more than 50 years, and won four times. But last yearâs event in the Swedish city of Malmo drew large demonstrations calling for Israel to be kicked out of the contest over its conduct of its war against Hamas in Gaza.
The Oct. 7 cross-border attacks by Hamas militants killed 1,200 people. More than 52,800 people in Gaza have been killed in Israelâs retaliatory offensive, according to the territoryâs health ministry.
About 200 people, many draped in Palestinian flags, protested in central Basel on Wednesday evening, demanding an end to Israelâs military offensive and the countryâs expulsion from Eurovision. They marched in silence down a street noisy with music and Eurovision revelry.
Many noted that Russia was banned from Eurovision after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
âIt should be a happy occasion that Eurovision is finally in Switzerland, but itâs not,â said Lea Kobler, from Zurich. âHow can we rightfully exclude Russia but weâre still welcoming Israel?â
Last year, Israeli competitor Eden Golan received boos when she performed live at Eurovision. Raphael told the BBC that she expects the same and has rehearsed with background noise so she won't be distracted.
âBut we are here to sing and Iâm going to sing my heart out for everyone,â she said.
Anti-Israel protests in Basel have been much smaller than last year in Malmo. Another protest is planned for Saturday in downtown Basel, 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the contest venue, St. Jakobshalle arena.
But concern by some Eurovision participants and broadcasters continues.
More than 70 former Eurovision contestants signed a letter calling for Israel to be excluded. Several of the national broadcasters that fund Eurovision, including those of Spain, Ireland and Iceland, have called for a discussion about Israelâs participation.
Swiss singer Nemo, who brought the competition to Switzerland by winning last year, told HuffPost UK that âIsraelâs actions are fundamentally at odds with the values that Eurovision claims to uphold â peace, unity, and respect for human rights.â
At Wednesdayâs protest, Basel resident Domenica Ott held a hand-made sign saying âNemo was right.â
She said the nonbinary singer was âvery courageous.â
âIf Russia couldnât participate, why should Israel?â she said.
The European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, pointed out that Israel is represented by its public broadcaster, KAN, not the government. It has called on participants to respect Eurovisionâs values of âuniversality, diversity, equality and inclusivityâ and its political neutrality.
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Hilary Fox and Kwiyeon Ha contributed to this story.
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