Yuval Raphael reveals everything: from online hate and death threats to winning the public vote and confronting global controversy face-to-face.
Yuval Raphael — Israel’s representative at Eurovision 2025 — finished second with her song “New Day Will Rise“. In an interview with “Daily Mail”, she laid all her cards on the table – from her take on Nemo’s provocation and the trophy return to death threats and the emotional high of winning the public vote.
Love and Hate: Yuval Raphael’s Rollercoaster
Yuval begins the interview with her heroic story from October 7th, describing how she survived in a shelter she calls “the bunker of death”, and how, just 18 months later, she found herself on the world’s biggest stage. She says that even there, pro-Palestinian activism followed her:
“The love in my heart guided me, even when I was surrounded by hate from all sides—hate aimed at my people, rooted in a distorted perception of reality”.
She insists she wasn’t afraid and was too focused on her performance preparations to fully grasp the magnitude of the hostility until she returned home to Israel. Despite widespread boycotts from several juries, Yuval won the public vote outright. She admits she was stunned by the paradox:
“I remember standing there, knowing that many broadcasts focused only on Gaza, not on me. Suddenly, I realized the public was with me”.
Yuval raises a familiar question about the disconnect between national elites and their citizens, noting that Spain (which awarded 12 points) and Slovenia (awarded 6 points) stood out for their popular support despite political criticism.
Yuval clarifies that her support extended far beyond Jewish communities – she received countless messages from people who simply loved her song. She addresses accusations that Israel’s public votes were inflated:
“The vote is open to everyone. When other countries receive diaspora votes, it’s called a love for music. But when it’s Israel, it’s suddenly suspicious”.
Indeed, Belgium, Spain, and Slovenia filed formal inquiries with the EBU regarding the voting process, and all were found to be without merit.
Boycotts Are Not the Answer
In the same interview, Yuval discusses the protest of Nemo, Eurovision 2024 winner who famously returned the trophy. She calls the gesture “a minimal act” and argues that if he truly wanted to make an impact, “he could have done something much bigger”. She questions the depth of his research before speaking out, adding:
“If he wants to meet, I’ll meet him tomorrow morning! When you express an opinion – especially one that can fuel hate – you have the duty to understand both sides fully. Not through TikTok and Instagram, platforms that glorify outrage, not truth”.
Previously, she was asked about the wave of withdrawals from five countries following Israel’s participation and the contest rule changes that could affect Israel’s future placements. Then, she focused on Israel’s internal perspective; this time, she broadened her message to boycotting nations:
“Under the banners of ‘justice’ and ‘morality’, many countries choose boycott and exclusion and call them values, while in reality, they only add to the hate. It’s painful to watch these campaigns—it’s a small reflection of the world’s attitude toward Israel”.
Yuval concludes reflectively:
“This experience taught me about fear and evil – but also about how beautiful life is, how fragile time is, and how vital it is to make every moment count”.
Israel at Eurovision 2025
“New Day Will Rise” is the song performed by Yuval Raphael, who was chosen to represent Israel after winning the 11th season of “HaKokhav HaBa”. Israel advanced to the final after winning the second semi-final with 203 points and finished second overall with 357 points in the grand final. Israel ranked first in the public vote but only 14th with the jury. This marks the third consecutive year that Israel has reached the top five – an unprecedented achievement.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Israel’s 48th participation in Eurovision. Israel joined the contest in 1973 and has won four times. Its most recent victory was at Eurovision 2018 with the song “Toy”, performed by singer Netta Barzilai.
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Ilay Gaist is a leading Israeli content creator and writer specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He is a well-known commentator with extensive expertise in the contest’s history, rules, and dynamics. His passion for Eurovision drives him to deliver rich, professional, and innovative content to his audience.
Ilay holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and has a multilingual background. He also engages in cultural research, with a particular focus on global culinary traditions and the evolution of local cuisines around the world.
