Israel at Eurovision 2025: The Israeli song, to be performed by Yuval Raphael, has been chosen by a professional committee. Composed by Keren Peles, the song includes verses from “Song of Songs,” potentially breaching contest regulations.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, “Kan 11,” confirms that the Israeli song for Eurovision 2025 has been selected! The track, penned and composed by Keren Peles and to be performed by Yuval Raphael in Basel this May, was chosen by a professional committee led by Barak Itzkovitz, the head of music stations at Kan. The committee consisted of senior music editors from the corporation, key figures in the Israeli music and television industry, and a public representative. The committee, which voted secretly to select the song, operated under the close legal supervision of attorney Tomer Karni, the deputy legal advisor of the corporation. Committee members reviewed about 50 songs without knowing the creators behind each piece.
Controversy Over Scriptural Verses
Will the Israeli song be disqualified? According to reports, the song includes verses from the “Song of Songs,” the first of the Five Megillot in the Writings section of the Bible. These are a series of love songs between a man and a woman addressing each other. In Jewish tradition, these songs are allegorically interpreted as a parable for the relationship between Israel and God. In Christian tradition, these songs are seen as a metaphor for the relationship between Jesus and the Christian Church.
At this stage, it is unclear how the verses were integrated, but their use in Eurovision songs could be problematic as the Eurovision rules require that song lyrics be entirely original – that is, they must not include other songs or scripture.
Last year, the Norwegian band Gåte had to change the lyrics of their selected song “Ulveham” because the words were too closely related to ancient texts from the Middle Ages that discuss traditional Norwegian culture. Similarly, the Ukrainian song “Shum,” which competed in Eurovision 2021, had to undergo changes in its lyrics because they were originally based on lines from traditional Ukrainian folklore.
European Broadcasting Union’s Review Pending
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has not yet approved the song, and the production team for the competition is expected to review the Israeli entry in the coming days to decide if the lyrics and music comply with the contest rules. The decision will be based on how the verses were incorporated into the song and whether the verses were quoted verbatim or altered slightly to fit the composition. Last year, the EBU disqualified the original lyrics of “October Rain” after finding connections between the song’s lyrics and the October 7 massacre, claiming that the references in the song were interpreted as “political.” According to contest rules, Eurovision songs must not deal with political topics. Following the disqualification, the song’s creators were asked to change the lyrics.
Upcoming Public Reveal
The song will be revealed on Sunday, March 9th, in a festive announcement broadcast on Kan 11, Kan Gimel, Kan BOX, and Kan’s digital platforms. Following the song’s selection, Yuval Raphael is expected to record her version of the chosen song. In the coming weeks, the official music video for the song will be shot and revealed on the evening of the announcement.
Yuval Raphael – Who are you?
Yuval, 24, from Ra’anana, lived in Geneva, Switzerland, during her childhood. She disclosed that she escaped from a Hamas terror attack on October 7th, during which grenades were thrown and shots were fired at a party. Many around her were killed, and she had to pretend to be dead to survive. What strengthens Yuval is music and advocacy for Israel. She has spoken in front of world leaders, met influential people, and even spoke at a Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva. She has become a focal point for international advocacy, presenting the true face of Israel and correcting the false image portrayed in the global arena. Her insistence on presenting the truth has made her a central and influential figure in both Israeli and global culture.
Yuval has never sung professionally and only started performing in front of audiences in recent months. The echoes of her performances quickly spread on social media, garnering warm praise and responses from viewers.
Yuval won first place in the TV show “HaKokhav HaBa for Eurovision 2025” after being chosen by the panel of judges and the home audience. She will represent Israel in Eurovision 2025, to be held in Basel on May 13, 15, and 17, in hopes of bringing Israel its fifth win in the competition.
Eurovision 2025: This is Israel’s 47th participation in Eurovision. Israel joined the competition in 1973 and has won it four times over the years. Israel’s last victory was at Eurovision 2018 with the song “Toy” performed by singer Netta Barzilai.
