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BASEL, Switzerland (AP) 性视界传媒� Most contestants at the are seeking as much publicity as possible.

Israel性视界传媒檚 Yuval Raphael is keeping a low profile.

The 24-year-old singer has done few media interviews or appearances during Eurovision week, as Israel性视界传媒檚 participation in the pan-continental pop music competition draws protests .

Raphael performed Thursday in the at the contest in the Swiss city of Basel, securing enough votes from viewers to secure a place in Saturday性视界传媒檚 final with her anthemic song 性视界传媒淣ew Day Will Rise.性视界传媒� Oddsmakers make Raphael, a survivor of Hamas性视界传媒� Oct. 7, 2023, attack on a music festival in southern Israel that started the Gaza war, one of the favorites to win the contest.

But some would prefer she was not here. A handful of protesters attempted to disrupt a rehearsal by Raphael on Thursday with 性视界传媒渙versized flags and whistles,性视界传媒� contest organizers said. Videos on social media appeared to show a large Palestinian flag being extended in the crowd across several people.

Swiss broadcaster SRG SSR, which is organizing the event, said 性视界传媒渟ecurity personnel were able to quickly identify those involved and escort them out of the hall."

Raphael's semifinal performance passed without disruption.

has competed in Eurovision for more than 50 years and won four times. But last year性视界传媒檚 event in Sweden drew large demonstrations calling for Israel to be kicked out of the contest over its conduct in the .

The Oct. 7 cross-border attacks by Hamas militants killed 1,200 people, and roughly 250 were taken hostage into Gaza. More than 52,800 people in Gaza have been killed in Israel性视界传媒檚 retaliatory offensive, according to the territory性视界传媒檚 health ministry.

About 200 people, many draped in Palestinian flags, protested in central Basel on Wednesday evening, demanding an end to Israel性视界传媒檚 military offensive and the country性视界传媒檚 expulsion from Eurovision. They marched in silence down a street noisy with music and Eurovision revelry.

Many noted that Russia was after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

性视界传媒淚t should be a happy occasion that Eurovision is finally in Switzerland, but it性视界传媒檚 not,性视界传媒� said Lea Kobler, from Zurich. 性视界传媒淗ow can we rightfully exclude Russia but we性视界传媒檙e still welcoming Israel?性视界传媒�

Others have criticized hostility toward the Israeli contestant. Israel's public broadcaster KAN complained to Swiss police about an alleged threatening gesture made toward Raphael by a pro-Palestinian protester during the opening Eurovision parade on Sunday.

German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer told parliament on Wednesday that 性视界传媒渢he boycott calls, the threats, also the verbal attacks on the singer from Israel, who herself only survived Hamas性视界传媒� mass murder at the Nova music festival because she hid under corpses, are from my point of view an intolerable scandal.性视界传媒�

Last year, Israeli competitor Eden Golan received boos when she performed live at Eurovision. Raphael told the BBC that she expects the same and rehearsed with background noise so she won't be distracted.

性视界传媒淏ut we are here to sing and I性视界传媒檓 going to sing my heart out for everyone,性视界传媒� she said.

A demonstration in support of Israel and against antisemitism was held in central Basel on Thursday.

Anti-Israel protests in Basel have been much smaller than last year in Malmo. Another pro-Palestinian demonstration is planned for Saturday in downtown Basel, 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the contest venue, St. Jakobshalle arena.

But concern by some Eurovision participants and broadcasters continues.

More than 70 former Eurovision contestants signed a letter calling for Israel to be excluded. Several of the national broadcasters that fund Eurovision, including those of Spain, Ireland and Iceland, have called for a discussion about Israel性视界传媒檚 participation.

Swiss singer , who brought the competition to Switzerland by told HuffPost UK that 性视界传媒淚srael性视界传媒檚 actions are fundamentally at odds with the values that Eurovision claims to uphold 性视界传媒� peace, unity, and respect for human rights.性视界传媒�

At Wednesday性视界传媒檚 protest, Basel resident Domenica Ott held a handmade sign saying 性视界传媒淣emo was right.性视界传媒�

She said the nonbinary singer was 性视界传媒渧ery courageous.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淚f Russia couldn性视界传媒檛 participate, why should Israel?性视界传媒� she said.

The European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, pointed out that Israel is represented by broadcaster KAN, not the government. It has called on participants to respect Eurovision性视界传媒檚 values of 性视界传媒渦niversality, diversity, equality and inclusivity性视界传媒� and its political neutrality.

Associated Press journalists Hilary Fox and Kwiyeon Ha in Basel and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.