A total of 738 delegates voted in favor of changing the contest's voting rules and supporting a waiver on the voting issue. Another 264 delegates opposed the new rules and demanded a formal, separate vote on Israel's participation. One hundred twenty delegates abstained.

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When asked in the interview about the controversy surrounding Israel's participation, Green responded carefully but with a disturbing hint: "At this moment, every union member who submits an application is entitled to participate in the competition," he said. "But this is a discussion that will continue throughout the year. In any conflict situation, we all want to see an end. We'll see how participation develops in the coming months." While he did not explicitly mention Israel, it was hard to mistake whom the remarks were directed toward.

This marks the first time the competition manager has delivered a public message that leaves a question mark in the air, even if indirectly. Until now, the EBU has made a habit of emphasizing at every opportunity that "Eurovision is not a political event" and that all member countries are entitled to participate without reservation.

Green's recent remarks signal a different tone, one that acknowledges political sensitivity and leaves open the possibility that public and diplomatic pressures might also affect one of the world's largest cultural stages.

As recalled, in December the issue is expected to return to the discussion table of the European Broadcasting Union, following a formal demand from Iceland, Ireland, Slovenia, and Spain. These four countries submitted a request for renewed discussion of Israel's status, claiming that its participation requires fresh examination in light of the regional situation and public reactions in Europe.

The very decision to hold a repeat discussion indicates a change of atmosphere in the union's discussion hall. Even if ultimately no decision is reached that would prevent Israel's participation, the fact that the issue is on the official agenda undermines the sense of certainty that has accompanied the Israeli delegation so far and signals that Israel no longer enjoys automatic consensus.

Meanwhile, the EBU recently announced the renewal of its contract with Israeli company Moroccanoil, which has served as Eurovision's main sponsor since 2019.

Despite calls to end the cooperation, the EBU extended the partnership for the 2026 edition as well, a decision perceived as a sign that the union is still not prepared to sever ties with Israel completely, at least on the commercial level.

Either way, it appears that uncertainty surrounding Israel's participation in Eurovision 2026 will continue to accompany preparations for Vienna.

Despite mixed signals from the EBU and pressure from several European countries, the assessment is that Israel's public broadcasting corporation does not intend to voluntarily relinquish its right to participate in the competition, and preparations continue as usual.

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In a pointed column published on the Icelandic website Vísir, the chairman makes clear that he views this as a pivotal moment for the competition. He characterizes the current period as "Eurovision's moment of truth," declaring that while Israel continues military operations in Gaza, and international bodies investigate alleged war crimes, it cannot keep appearing on a stage representing "values of peace, unity and respect for human rights."

Rather than demanding a total boycott, the chairman suggests a solution he believes balances moral principles with artistic freedom, permitting Israeli artists to participate only if they abandon the state flag and publicly affirm support for Eurovision values, "including human rights." He argues this framework has already proven successful in sports, pointing to the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Belarusian and Russian athletes competed exclusively under neutral flags. Iceland's Broadcasting Authority council backed the initiative, referencing Russia and Belarus as precedents for nations that "failed to meet European standards."

This Thursday, European Broadcasting Union members will gather for preparatory discussions regarding Eurovision 2026. The agenda includes setting participation rules for the next competition, particularly how the union will handle mounting criticism of Israel's participation. This marks the first fundamental discussion since the previous competition ended, and could establish the union's first official policy addressing calls to boycott Israel or impose limitations.

The Icelandic proposal echoes similar actions previously taken in sports and cultural spheres. Since Russia's 2022 Ukraine invasion, Russian participants have been entirely banned from Eurovision – while in other areas like the Olympics, Russian athletes may only compete under neutral flags without state symbols. Unlike the Russian situation involving complete exclusion, this proposal offers a "compromise" requiring Israeli artists to publicly declare political stances – an approach considered without precedent in the competition's history.

The European Broadcasting Union currently maintains official silence, though behind-the-scenes pressure intensifies. One thing appears certain – discussions about Israel's participation are no longer peripheral and demand a principled response.

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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.

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Eurovision week 2025 officially opens Sunday afternoon with the delegation parade on the turquoise carpet – the festive opening ceremony of the competition, in which Israel's representative Yuval Raphael will also participate.

The atmosphere in Basel is already fully present. During the past weekend, the city began embracing Eurovision colors – flags appeared in almost every corner, shop windows were decorated, and squares transformed into pilgrimage sites for competition fans, locals, tourists – everyone. The general feeling? As if the city awakened to a world where sequins are a native language, feathers constitute a dress code, and every step on the street comes with an imaginary chorus of "douze points!"

The magic of Eurovision 2025 doesn't wait for you to reach downtown; it begins the moment you land.  If you arrive by plane, you'll encounter colorful signs welcoming you with "Welcome Eurovision Fans" right at the baggage carousels of Basel-Mulhouse Airport. And if you choose to arrive by train, from the moment you step onto the main station floor, you'll understand you've entered a city that speaks Eurovision language.

Digital signage has transformed into colorful heart displays, direction markers glow in bright pink, and almost every column features the competition logo. The station has become an unofficial Eurovision branch – a combination of transportation hub and photo-op station for sequin genre enthusiasts.

Between steaming coffee and Swiss tuna sandwiches, even locals have embraced the competition spirit. Store after store has wrapped itself in Eurovision colors – "Welcome Home" signs in neon yellow, fuchsia pink hearts, and shop windows specifically modified for the event, featuring microphone-shaped cakes, scarves with "douze points" inscriptions, and shelves stocked with official merchandise.

Digital screens in the station plaza broadcast competition messages and logos on constant rotation, and as they change colors and wink at passersby, there's a sense of a continuous show. Pedestrians pause for photos, children point excitedly, and tourists reach for smartphones – as if it's not just another ordinary day, but a semifinal show beginning with a fashionably late five-minute delay.

"Eurovision Street"

When exiting Basel's main train station and turning left, you can't miss what locals simply call "Eurovision Street." This main urban thoroughfare extends about 1.9 miles, all the way to Badischer Bahnhof station, completely transformed into a colorful, festive walking route dedicated to the competition.

Shops along the way have "dressed up" for Eurovision – many display "Friends of Eurovision" signs, while others have designed their windows with songs, sequins, and hearts as inspiration. "United By Music" signs line the street, while familiar Eurovision hit melodies flow from the city's sound system – an unofficial soundtrack to everyday life.

But it's more than just decoration. Eurovision Street lives, breathes – and performs. One side features small wooden stands for local street artists, who are already strumming, drumming, whistling, and engaging passersby. At its center stands a main stage hosting live performances throughout the day. Last weekend already featured local brass ensembles, percussion groups, and young bands performing tribute songs to competing artists. Later this week, some competition contestants themselves are expected to perform here. On this street, Basel isn't merely hosting Eurovision – it's actively participating in it.

On Eurovision Street, we met the first group of Eurovision fans from Israel – including Avi Zeikner, a photographer in everyday life but serving as the editor of Euromix.co.il while in Basel. "We arrived here yesterday afternoon, and since then it's been really pleasant," he said. "The atmosphere is quite relaxed. Regarding security, we notice police officers on the streets and hope everything proceeds smoothly. I'm not overly concerned, just trying to limit speaking Hebrew on the street and not carrying an Israeli flag, but overall it feels quite safe."

Beside him stood Tal Dahan and Shachar Assido – devoted Eurovision fans who attended every competition over the past three years. "We haven't seen anything like this at previous competitions we've attended – there are truly wonderful things here. We even met Luxembourg's representative, and she's really friendly," Tal said, and Shachar added, "Very near here was a karaoke party where everyone gathered around us after we sang – nice atmosphere, and it doesn't feel as tense as last year in Malmö.

"Initially, we thought there wouldn't be any Israeli flags at all, that perhaps they'd boycott or no presence would be visible," she said. "But we actually do see them – both here on Eurovision Street and throughout Basel – whenever flags are displayed, the Israeli flag is included. That's definitely a pleasant surprise."

This stands in stark contrast to last year in Malmö, where at this stage of the week, one could already encounter numerous demonstrations, inscriptions, flags, and verbal attacks against Israel. This time, at least so far, the situation appears completely different.

Except for a few isolated cases documented last week when anti-Israel inscriptions scattered around the city were spotted, Basel's municipality apparently acted quickly to remove everything. The physical presence – flags, signs, street atmosphere – feels much calmer. That makes the moment when you encounter graffiti saying "F**k Israel" near Eurovision Street, on the wall of a bank branch adorned with Eurovision inscriptions, particularly jarring.

The colorful sign declaring "United by Music" in plump letters hangs directly above the vulgar inscription. Yet this exception seems to emphasize the rule that, at least for now, Eurovision in Basel operates in a "neutral and sterile zone" where Israelis can simply enjoy the competition.

Eurovision Village

At the end of Eurovision Street, the Eurovision Village spreads. This year, for the first time, it's established in an enclosed, covered venue, creating the atmosphere of a colorful fair under one roof. The massive structure is entirely branded with distinct Eurovision aesthetics, featuring giant signs, screen displays, flags from every direction, and eye-catching food stalls ranging from Middle Eastern cuisine to hamburgers to sticky, delightful Swiss raclette.

Between these, you'll find official competition merchandise, scarves, postcards with the "United by Music" slogan, and selfie stations with golden microphones.

On one wall, right at the entrance, appears the Eurovision 2025 slogan in various languages, including Hebrew. But standing casually before this inscription is a tall green plant, apparently placed randomly. It doesn't entirely obscure it but creates a charming hide-and-reveal effect, as if the Hebrew greeting wants to say hello, but shyly. It doesn't appear intentional, certainly not hostile, but this small scene embodies something quintessentially Eurovision, a blend of good intentions, colorful design, and foliage that grew beyond control.

In the center of the space stands a performance stage where both local artists and Eurovision stars from years past will appear throughout the week. Later in the week, some current competition participants are also expected to perform here. As the plaza gradually fills, a tram passes outside completely wrapped in pink and blue hearts, displaying the Eurovision logo. This represents a relatively rare sight around Basel, but when spotted, impossible to miss. It approaches quietly, stops, and all that's missing is a Ukrainian backing choir with shiny gold coats emerging from it.

The calm before the douze points

To reach the competition venue, as well as Euroclub and Eurocafe, the official Eurovision nightclubs, you must leave Eurovision Street and board a tram. The local line takes visitors to the southeastern edge of the city, home to what will become a focal point of noise, in the most positive sense.

Especially here at St. Jakobshalle – the hall hosting the semifinals and grand final – a completely different atmosphere currently prevails, a feeling of "the calm before the storm."

Inside, you don't yet feel the drum rhythms or lighting intensity, but hints already exist. Some delegations conduct rehearsals, journalists collect entry passes granting access to media zones, and occasionally, security personnel with earpieces and transmitters pass by.

But tomorrow, everything changes. This area will become Eurovision week's beating heart, featuring open rehearsals for ticket holders, daily performances, media broadcasts from every corner, and the three highlight evenings: first semifinal, second semifinal, and the grand final itself. Within 24 hours, every quiet corner transforms into a colorful distillation of singing, costumes, hope, and douze points.

Among decorated streets, fragrant stalls, festive trams, and the still-quiet hall – it's impossible to ignore the bubbling excitement in the air. Basel prepares for its defining moment with scenery almost complete. It's not showtime yet, but something here already sings.

The Eurovision 2025 semifinals will take place on May 13 and May 15, and the grand final on May 17.

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