Yuval Raphael: “I am proud of my country” as Eurovision nears

After months of preparation, determination, and national anticipation, Israeli Eurovision representative Yuval Raphael and the official delegation departed for Switzerland on Monday morning, setting off on a special El Al flight from Ben Gurion Airport to Zurich. From there, they will continue to Basel, host city of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest.

The departure marks a powerful moment of unity and pride, especially during a time of national difficulty. Before boarding, the delegation gathered with representatives from the Israel Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) and El Al at the King David Lounge to extend their heartfelt wishes to Raphael.

"I am proud of my country and excited to represent it on the biggest stage of the music world," Raphael said moments before boarding. "It is a great privilege and responsibility, and I thank everyone for this opportunity. I will do everything to represent us with honor. I hope that by the time we return, all the hostages will be home, where they should have been long ago."

El Al CEO Dina Ben-Tal Ganancia added: "As a company that carries the Israeli flag, we are proud to serve as the official carrier of the Israeli Eurovision delegation for the third consecutive year. We’re proud of Yuval, and we’ll be waiting here to welcome her home with open arms."

To commemorate the moment, El Al unveiled a special sticker affixed to the aircraft, reading: "Israel is behind you, Yuval — good luck." Designed exclusively for this occasion, the sticker took four weeks to create and involved dozens of engineers and professionals.