Performing during the show in position 12, "Ding Dong" was not announced among the top 10 entries of the second semi-final and therefore did not qualify to compete in the final.

Israel had qualified to the final for three consecutive years between 2008 and 2010, which included their 2010 entry "Milim" performed by Harel Skaat.

[5][6] Artists that applied for the competition were then required to submit two to three songs each and ten entries were chosen by a special committee consisting of music industry professionals and members from IBA and announced on 8 February 2011.

[7][8][9] The members of the committee were Yaakov Naveh (IBA artists representative), Yoav Ginai (entertainment director of IBA), Noam Gil-Or (director of Reshet Gimmel), Yuval Ganor (director of 88FM), Rina Hachmon (Kdam Eurovision producer), Idit Ben Eliyahu (producer of the Channel 1 programme Local Noise), Yossi Gispan (lyricist), David Krivoshei (musician), Izhar Cohen (winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1978), Gilad Segev (musician) and Tal Barnea (former EBU project manager).

[3] The competing songs were presented during a press conference together with the running order on 28 February 2011 held at the Shablul Jazz Club in Tel Aviv and hosted by Shiri Maimon and Aki Avni.

[4] The expert jury panel that voted in the final consisted of Amir Gilat (Head of IBA), Yaakov Naveh (IBA artists representative), Izhar Cohen (winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1978), Yoav Ginai (entertainment director of IBA), Noam Gil-Or (director of Reshet Gimmel), Rina Hachmon (Kdam Eurovision producer), Idit Ben Eliyahu (producer of the Channel 1 programme Local Noise), Gilad Segev (musician), Tal Barnea (former EBU project manager), Yossi Gispan (lyricist), David Krivoshei (musician) and Yuval Ganor (director of 88FM).

[19][20] Voting during the three shows involved each country awarding points from 1-8, 10 and 12 as determined by a combination of 50% national jury and 50% televoting.

This jury judged each entry based on: vocal capacity; the stage performance; the song's composition and originality; and the overall impression by the act.

In addition, no member of a national jury was permitted to be related in any way to any of the competing acts in such a way that they cannot vote impartially and independently.