Israel’s Eurovision 2025 entrant, Yuval Raphael, has issued a statement in response to the backlash surrounding her performance at last week’s competition in Basel.
Her Eurovision appearance was overshadowed by widespread calls to boycott the event due to Israel’s inclusion, as well as protests both inside and outside the venue.
Sharing a photo from the show on Instagram, the 24-year-old singer wrote: “We did it! I’m still trying to process this unbelievable experience. It’ll probably take me some time, but I just have to say: I’ve never felt this strong in my life!”
“I wasn’t standing on that stage alone. Maybe the eyes couldn’t catch it, but I could feel it – Through all the boos, the flags, and the whistles, I felt your spirit with me. I was shouting our cry.”
She added: “Thank you. Thank you for being there. Thank you for your support. Thank you for trusting me to be your voice. Thank you for the love. Thank you for this incredible privilege! A moment I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”
She continued by thanking her team for being with her “every step of the way”, adding she felt “blessed” to have them there.
Raphael concluded her statement by dedicating her Eurovision journey to the Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
“And one last thing that’s so important for me to say: Our hostages must come home. They were in my heart and on my mind throughout this entire journey. In the midst of this complex reality we live in, my only goal was to give my people a moment to breathe… and maybe even smile. That’s what carried me through every challenge and gave me strength.”
“Thank you for believing in me. For every message, every share, every vote, every word of encouragement. I still feel every hug and every smile etched into my heart, and they will stay with me forever.”
MORE LIKE THIS:
Raphael’s Eurovision appearance was overshadowed by widespread calls to boycott the event due to Israel’s inclusion
GETTY
She added: “No one will ever break us,” and echoed the well-known phrase, “Am Yisrael Chai!!!” meaning “The People of Israel Live.”
Raphael, a survivor of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, was one of just 11 people to make it out alive from a shelter where around 50 had sought refuge during the assault that killed 378 attendees at the Nova Music Festival.
She survived the attack by hiding under the bodies of others in a small shelter near the dance floor. Hamas fighters found the shelter, entered, and repeatedly fired at those inside.
Footage from inside the venue captured loud boos during her performance in the dress rehearsal, semi-final, and final, and many Palestinian flags were visible.
Footage from inside the venue captured loud boos during her performance in the dress rehearsal, semi-final, and final, and many Palestinian flags were visible
GETTY
The performer was subsequently left “shaken and upset” after pro-Palestinian protesters rushed towards her while she was on stage during the final on Saturday night.
A spokesman for Israeli broadcaster Kan said the protesters “were blocked by security officials, but Raphael was shaken and upset”.
Footage of the incident has emerged on social media since the attempted stage invasion, and activists Youth Demand have claimed responsibility.
Self-proclaimed as a “youth-led nonviolent civil resistance group”, the activists claim to be “fighting for an end to genocide in Palestine and across the globe as a result of the climate crisis”.
Soon after being detained, Basel police confirmed they had been let go.
For BBC viewers, the performance wasn’t short of controversy, with commentator Graham Norton alluding to the suggestion that the crowd noise may have been altered from the arena to the broadcast.
Norton also came under fire from some for seemingly failing to include a key part of Raphael’s backstory when introducing her to viewers.
