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Eurovision 2025 fan sites across Europe reported on a so-called "boycott" of Israel’s representative, Yuval Raphael, after an Instagram group chat was created for this year’s contestants — with Raphael left out.
Following the reports, the Israeli delegation investigated the matter and clarified that an invitation had indeed been sent to Raphael to join the group, but the message was missed by the team.
The claims of a boycott were not initiated by the Israeli delegation or anyone on Raphael’s behalf but rather surfaced in international media coverage.
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Meanwhile, Denmark’s representative, who manages the group chat, addressed the controversy in an Instagram post, saying that no contestant was deliberately excluded. "I created the chat for all Eurovision contestants but I could only add 13 people. I immediately wrote, ‘Please add everyone you can,’" she explained.
The reports of a boycott followed concerns over a repeat of last year’s experience with Eden Golan, who represented Israel and faced a hostile reception from some delegations. However, the Israeli team expressed satisfaction that Raphael's Eurovision journey appears to be starting smoothly. Israel is set to take the stage in Basel during the second semifinal on May 15.