Security precautions continue to be taken to protect Israel’s Eurovision 2025 contestant, Yuval Raphael, as she begins the competition in Switzerland.
Ahead of the first day of the semi-finals on Tuesday, Israeli officials decided to limit Raphael’s media time, allowing her to give interviews on Monday and Tuesday only. She will not give any additional interviews until after Saturday’s final.
This differs from previous years, where contestants such as Eden Golan and Noa Kirel gave interviews after the semi-finals. Delegation sources told Ynet that they were “protecting Yuval’s voice and Yuval herself.”
Given the expectation of booing and potential pro-Palestinian or anti-Israel interruptions, Raphael told the BBC she has practiced performing while being booed.
“I think I’m expecting it,” she told the British broadcaster. “But we are here to sing and I’m going to sing my heart out for everyone.”
Basel’s law enforcement announced on Tuesday that it was banning all drone flights until 18 May.
“A large no-fly zone for drones is in effect across the entire city center and throughout the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft during the Eurovision Song Contest,” the police announced.
This comes just two days after 150 pro-Palestinian protesters attempted to interrupt the Eurovision delegation parade on Sunday.
The group Basel 4 Palestine announced prior to the parade that it wished to “turn the turquoise carpet Palestinian,” and called for protesters to come and “refuse to let the Zionist apartheid state use the ESC to spread its genocidal propaganda and artwash its crimes.”
Despite the attempted interruption, Basel police said they were “able to stop around 150 people at the Messeplatz and thus prevent the official event from being disrupted.”
They added that the event took place without any significant security problems.
The same group has called for a demonstration to take place on the day of the final itself.
“We will take the streets the way we want to and how it is our right to,” the group announced, despite not having a protest permit. The head of the local police has stressed that no permits would be granted for demonstrations. Officers will, however, be deployed in preparation for the expected pro-Palestinian protests.
Previous threats made against Yuval Raphael, Eurovision delegation
Additionally, during the opening parade, a man wearing a keffiyeh and a Palestinian flag made a throat-slitting gesture at Raphael and spat at other Israeli delegates. Israel’s Public Broadcasting Corporation filed a complaint on Sunday with Swiss police.
Israel’s National Security Council issued a set of directives last Thursday for Israelis traveling to the Eurovision Song Contest, warning them to conceal Jewish or Israeli symbols and stay away from protests, among other directives.
A security source told Ynet that there are “significant numbers” of undercover Shin Bet personnel on the ground.