Israel's entrant to the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest, Lior Narkis, said in an interview to Yediot Ahronot that a top 5 position in Riga will be sufficient for him.

When Narkis was asked about his expectations of the contest he said: “Dana International's song (Diva) is the all-time Eurovision song, so this title is already taken, I can't challenge her. But, I feel the great responsibility and I wish for a respectable position. I will be settled with a top 5 position”.

Israel's entry is currently falling behind in internet polls. “I try keeping optimistic. I keep on running in my nind several scenarios. The ones that I come home after success in Riga, and the others after a failure and I get criticized. I am doing my best to succeed”, says Narkis. The singer started taking English lessons in order to cope with the foreign press, but he will be accompanied with a translator because his English is “for survival use only”, as Narkis puts it himslef.

Lior Narkis' album was released a couple of weeks ago. It also includes the other 3 songs that were in the run for Riga, and the video for the Eurovision entry, Words for love. It has already reached a platinum album.