Is this the harshest backlash Israel has faced at Eurovision?   

After weathering weeks of controversy surrounding Israel’s Eurovision 2025 entry, “A New Day Will Rise,” singer-songwriter Keren Peles is now en route to Basel, Switzerland, where she will join the Israeli delegation under a rising tide of international hostility. Despite the political tension, she remains grounded in her purpose and hopeful about the message they aim to deliver.

“I don’t think we’ve ever seen such widespread backlash against Israel at Eurovision,” Peles told Ynet on Monday, just before boarding her flight. “It may not match the level of aggression we faced in Malmö in 2024, but the atmosphere is charged. We have fewer supporters and far louder opponents, like last year’s winner, Nemo, who was very kind in person but completely different on camera.”

Still, she said, “We knew the truth behind the smiles in our selfies last year. So many voices openly reject our presence here. Just showing up already puts us at a disadvantage.”

Yet the Israeli team remains undeterred. “We don’t waste energy on petitions or odds. Our only focus is Yuval, giving her everything she needs to go on stage powerful, prepared, and proud.”

Singer Yuval Raphael, who will represent Israel with the Peles-composed ballad, carries more than just a song: she carries memory, trauma, and determination. “Yuval hasn’t forgotten the hostages still in Gaza,” Peles said. “Each one is a sun. And to bring about a new day, we must bring back the sun.”

Peles described the performance as deeply symbolic. “This is the voice of the next generation. A generation that’s lived through unbearable pain. Yuval is the embodiment of that, rising from literal and emotional rubble. There’s even a symbolic tower on stage, like Herzl’s balcony. The message is: nothing is impossible, if we will it.”