In addition, IBA was also the host broadcaster and staged the event at the International Convention Center's Ussishkin Auditorium in Jerusalem, after winning the previous edition with the song "A-Ba-Ni-Bi" by Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta.

The song narrowly defeated Svika Pick's "Ein li ish milvadi" by two points from the regional juries to seal its ticket to the international final.

The 1979 contest was hosted by Daniel Pe'er and Yardena Arazi, formerly of 1976 representatives Chocolate, Menta, Mastik and a future entrant in her own right (as well as, allegedly, one of the acts who rejected the opportunity to perform "Hallelujah").

The song initially ran over the three-minute time limit, putting the host network in danger of having their own entry disqualified, but the omission of a repeated refrain brought it within EBU requirements.

Continuing "Hallelujah"'s long history of narrow victories, Israel were neck-in-neck with Spain's "Su canción" by Betty Missiego for most of the voting.

All but two countries voted for "Hallelujah" (Germany and Italy), and six (Finland, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and the United Kingdom) awarded Israel twelve points.

Milk and Honey themselves, or at least the lineup that performed the song at Eurovision, were not to last: Gali Atari wished to pursue a solo career, and after scoring another international hit with "Goodbye New York," she left the group acrimoniously.

[7] Milk and Honey, with Leah Lupatin filling in for Atari, would compete together again at the 1981 and 1989 national selections, while Yehuda Tamir would attempt a solo return in 1986.