Israel has done it again, advancing to the Eurovision 2025 final with a powerful performance of "New Day Will Rise." Israeli representative Yuval Raphael moved the audience and secured a coveted place among the ten countries qualifying from the competition's second semi-final.
Raphael took the stage as performer number 14 and proved that Israel's Eurovision momentum remains stronger than ever. The audience at St. Jakobshalle in Basel cheered enthusiastically, and the expected boos and Palestinian flags were also visible and audible.
Boos erupted immediately as Yuval began her performance, with a group of people in the audience waving Palestinian flags. However, their protests were quickly drowned out by waves of supportive cheers from the crowd, reaching their peak at the conclusion of Raphael's remarkable performance.
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Social media reaction confirmed that viewers of Eurovision's second semi-final were impressed by Raphael's performance. The BBC's Eurovision coverage page wrote, "A masterclass in vocal performance from Israel's Yuval Raphael."
In the first semi-final, the qualifying countries were Norway, Albania, Sweden, Iceland, Netherlands, Poland, San Marino, Estonia, Portugal, and Ukraine. They were joined tonight by Lithuania, Armenia, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Latvia, Malta, and Greece. Host country Switzerland automatically advances, along with the "Big Five" – France, Italy, Spain, Britain, and Germany.
After leaving the stage, Raphael revealed she recognized friends who had sheltered with her during the Hamas attack on October 7: "I said hello to the audience, looked to the side, and suddenly realized my shelter friends were there. Suddenly, I see my best friend waving hello to me from up high. Somehow, I recognized them, I was in shock. That gave me so much strength," she said.
The Eurovision final will take place on Saturday, May 17, where Israel will perform fourth in the running order.
