Performing during the show in position 2, "The Fire in Your Eyes" was announced among the top 10 entries of the second semi-final and therefore qualified to compete in the final.

Since the introduction of semi-finals to the format of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004, Israel has, to this point, managed to qualify to the final two times, including a top ten result in 2005 with "HaSheket SheNish'ar" by Shiri Maimon placing fourth.

Israel had qualified to the final for two consecutive years in 2005 and 2006 prior to their non-qualification in 2007 with the song "Push the Button" performed by the band Teapacks.

On 14 November 2007, IBA announced that the winner of season five of the reality singing competition Kochav Nolad, Boaz Ma'uda, was selected as its representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008.

[3] IBA previously revealed in July 2007 that one of the participants of season five's Kokhav Nolad produced by Tedy Productions and Keshet Media Group would represent Israel at the contest.

[3] IBA opened the public song submission following the announcement of Ma'uda as the selected artist with the deadline on 6 January 2008.

[7] The final took place over two days at the Ulpaneii TV Studios in Herzeliya, hosted by Tzvika Hadar and broadcast on Channel 2 as well as online via Eurovil and keshet-tv.com.

A judging panel composed of Brotherhood of Man (who won Eurovision for the United Kingdom in 1976), Ralf Siegel, Carola Häggkvist (who won Eurovision for Sweden in 1991), Moshe Datz (who represented Israel in 1991), Nurit Hirsh, Kobi Oshrat, Michal Amdursky, and Assaf Amdursky was also featured which provided feedback to the songs and selected "Ke'ilu Kan" as their favourite song.

According to the rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big Four" (France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom) are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top nine songs from each semi-final as determined by televoting progress to the final, and a tenth was determined by back-up juries.

[14][15] The five backing vocalists performing on stage with Boaz Ma'uda were Adam Yosef, Ariel Zohar, Eran Mazor Hecht, Lior Ashkenazi and Zach Eshel.