Due to the rapidly expanding size of the Contest, entry to the 1996 Contest was determined through an internal preselection in which judges listened to recordings of the proposed entries. Israel did not progress through this stage. Entry to the 1997 Contest was restricted to those countries with the best average scores over the previous five years, a group which included Israel, but who were unable to return due to the contest coinciding with Yom HaZikaron, the Israeli Day of Remembrance. However, in spite of not being able to broadcast the 1997 contest live for these reasons, their showing it on delay earned Israel the right to re-enter the Contest in 1998. Hence, the song was succeeded as Israeli representative at the 1998 Contest by Dana International with "Diva".