Israel pride outshines protests as Yuval Raphael qualifies for Eurovision finale in Basel

Hours ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest’s (ESC) second round of semi-finals on Thursday night, supporters of Israeli contestant Yuval Raphael gathered in Basel’s picturesque Muensterplatz under an impeccably blue sky to convey, with Israeli flags draped around their shoulders, that the Nova survivor is not alone.

“It’s okay to be pro-Palestine, but it’s not okay to be anti-Israel and anti-Jewish,” said Judy, a Jewish Swiss-American woman attending the "Solidarity Rally” for Raphael in the Eurovision host city. “I’m here for solidarity with my Jewish friends, and I think it’s important to show that we’re not afraid to be outside waving the Israeli flag.”

Yuval Raphael representing Israel performed her song 'New Day Will Rise' in Round 2 of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest on May 15, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Harold Cunningham/Getty Images)Getty Images

The quiet demonstration in support of Raphael, organised by German collective Artists Against Antisemitism, was perhaps a surprising sight for those up to date on recent Eurovision history, which has been marked by intense anti-Israel protests and hostile demands for the European contest to be boycotted due to Israel’s inclusion.

But the Swiss host city of this year’s Eurovision remained remarkably peaceful in the run-up to the second semi-finals Thursday night, during which the 24-year-old Israeli singer advanced to the grand final to resounding applause. 

BASEL, SWITZERLAND - MAY 15: A protestor waves the Palestinian flag and a supporter waves the Israeli flag as Yuval Raphael representing Israel performs during the rehearsal ahead of Semi Final Round 2 of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest Opening Ceremony at Messe Basel on May 15, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Harold Cunningham/Getty Images)Getty Images

While local organisation Basel for Palestine and Eurovision anti-Israel group ESCalate 4 Palestine held a small-scale “silent protest” on Wednesday night and distributed flyers outside Basel's St. Jakobshalle arena on Thursday, the overall frenzy around Israel’s participation in the much-beloved song contest is, so far, nowhere near the level of intensity seen last year.

At the 2024 competition in Malmö, Sweden, Israeli contestant Eden Golan was kept under tight security amid fervid and large-scale protests attended by some 10,000 demonstrators. In anticipation of similar scenes this year, the Israeli National Security Council issued a warning to Israelis travelling to Switzerland for Eurovision, stating anti-Israel demonstrations are expected to be “directed at Israelis or the Israeli delegation” during the song contest and advising Israeli fans to “avoid displaying Israeli and Jewish symbols in public.”

German activist group Artists Against Antisemitism organised a rally in support of Israeli Eurovision contestant Yuval Raphael ahead of the second semi-finals on Thursday evening.[Missing Credit]

But the “silent protest” in Basel on Wednesday night, during which a procession of some 100 demonstrators bearing Palestinian flags walked from the City Hall across the Rhine River, was carried out with little fanfare. The group made its way towards the “Eurovision Village” fan zone, a hub for Eurovision live concerts, activities and food stalls located at an exhibition centre north of the river, but was stopped by police before reaching the area, and dispersed early in the evening.

Even so, the record of anti-Israel protests in Switzerland over the past year - and more recent news that several public broadcasters from participating countries called for Israel’s exclusion from Eurovision – has been enough to instill unease in many Jewish and Israeli fans. Such ongoing antagonism, albeit less visible on the streets of Basel than in Malmö, is the reason pro-Israel demonstrators took to the Muensterplatz on Thursday evening to show their unabashed support for Raphael.

“I’m here because antisemitism showed its ugly face at the ESC last year and this year,” said Sacha, a Jewish resident of Basel who wore a “Bring Them Home Now” t-shirt to the rally. “It’s time to stand up, to show that we are still here and we are not afraid of anything.”