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Despite a Terrible War, Israel Had a Record-Breaking Olympics
Paris 2024 Olympics – Sailing – Men’s Windsurfing Final – Marseille Marina, Marseille, France – August 03, 2024. Tom Reuveni of Israel celebrates after winning gold. Photo: Reuters/Andrew Boyers
The Paris Olympics are over, and Israel has triumphed.
In the most difficult circumstances imaginable, the Israeli athletes responded with their best ever Olympics, winning seven medals — one gold, five silver, and one bronze.
By contrast, India, which has over one billion people, only won six medals. Israel is a country of less than 10 million.
The medals came in sailing, judo, and gymnastics, proving once again that they are Israel’s most successful Olympic sports. All but two of the 20 medals Israel has ever won have come in these three sports.
Israel had a very slow start, but that all changed on Day Six. Peter Paltchik got the ball rolling when he won bronze in judo, and was very lucky to do so. With just seconds remaining in his contest and him ahead, he tried to avoid an attack from his opponent and was adjudged to receive a third shido, which would result in a disqualification. He pleaded with the referees to rescind it, and thankfully they did.
Following that, Inbar Lanir participated in Israel’s first Olympic Judo final in 32 years. But Israel made it to another judo final the very next day, when Raz Hershko advanced to the gold medal contest. Unfortunately, both were outplayed in their finals, but this shouldn’t take anything away from their incredible achievements.
On Day Seven, Israel won three medals in a single day.
Sharon Kantor became Israel’s first-ever female sailing medalist, when she won silver in windsurfing. Moments later, windsurfer Tom Reuveny won gold in the same event that his coach, Gal Fridman, won 20 years earlier in Athens. This was the first time Israel won gold medals at consecutive games.
Then Artem Dolgopyat became Israel’s most successful Olympian ever, when he won silver in gymnastics on the floor routine to go with the gold he won in Tokyo last time.
With the Olympics winding down, Israel won a seventh medal when the female rhythmic gymnastic group won silver in the all-around competition.
Archers Roy Dror and Mikaella Moshe both got knocked out in the first round. In the team event, they just missed out making the knockout rounds. Considering that Tokyo was the first Olympics Israel sent an archer to, the country is clearly making progress in this sport.
The artistic swimmers Shelly Bobritsky and Ariel Nassee finished 11th, which was Israel’s best ever result in the sport.
In the marathon, Lonah Chemtai Salpeter came ninth in the women’s, while Maru Teferi came in 26th, which was our best men’s finisher.
In his fourth Olympics, Misha Zilberman finished on a high in badminton. winning his final match. At the velodrome, Mikhail Yakovlev made the round of 16 in the sprint and the quarter finals in the keirin.
In the equestrian, Israel sent a jumping team for the second straight Olympics, where it made history by qualifying for the 10-team final for the first time.
Yuval Freilich was Israel’s first Olympic fencer since 2008. One loss in fencing means total elimination from the contest, and he lost a tough first round match by a score of 15-13.
In its first appearance since 1976, the men’s soccer team had a challenging tournament, finishing last in its group.
Artistic gymnast Lihie Raz finished 31st in the all-around event, and just missed out on making it to the final. In rhythmic gymnastics, Daria Atamanov qualified for the final where she finished fifth.
Anat Lelior qualified for the Round of 16 in surfing, which was a fantastic achievement.
Israel sent a record 18 swimmers to Paris, and made one final in the 4x200m men’s freestyle relay.
In taekwondo, Avishag Semberg entered with high hopes, but was eliminated in the first round, while in the triathlon, Shachar Sagiv finished 37th.
If these were regular times, these Olympics would be judged as a phenomenal success. Given the circumstances, it’s just remarkable if not incredible. Not only was stress high from the war, but Israeli and Jewish athletes were under serious threat from terror groups and antisemites. Luckily, no such incidents occurred.
Israeli athletes have set a high bar for the Los Angeles games, but it’s very likely they could set new records in the United States.
David Wiseman is the co-founder of Follow Team Israel, a page that shares the stories of Israeli sports to the world. You can find it on Facebook and Instagram. He is also the head of online reputation management at Buzzdealer.
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Brooklyn Nets Select Israeli Basketball Players Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf in NBA Draft
The opening tip between the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York, Dec. 13, 2020. Photo: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
In a landmark night for Israeli basketball, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf were selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets, marking the first time two Israeli players have been drafted in the same year.
Saraf, a 19-year-old guard known for his explosive athleticism and creative playmaking, was taken with the 26th pick. A standout with Maccabi Rishon LeZion and a rising star on Israel’s youth national teams, Saraf gained international attention with his electrifying scoring and commanding court presence.
With the 27th pick, the Nets selected 7-foot center Danny Wolf out of the University of Michigan. Wolf, who holds dual US-Israeli citizenship and represented Israel at the U-20 level, brings a versatile skill set, including sharp passing, perimeter shooting, and a strong feel for the game. After his name was called, Wolf grew emotional in an on-air interview, crediting his family for helping him reach the moment.
“I have the two greatest brothers in the world; I have an unbelievable sister who I love,” Wolf said. “They all helped me get to where I am today, and they’re going to help me get to where I am going to go in this league.”
The historic double-pick adds to the growing wave of Israeli presence on the NBA stage, led by Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, who just completed a breakout 2024–25 season. After being traded to Portland last summer, Avdija thrived as a starter, averaging 16.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. In March alone, he posted 23.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, including two triple-doubles.
“I don’t think I’ve played like this before … I knew I had it in me. But I’m not really thinking about it. I’m just playing. I’m just free,” Avdija told reporters in March
With Saraf and Wolf joining Avdija, Israel’s basketball pipeline has reached unprecedented visibility. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the moment “a national celebration for sports and youth,” and Israeli sports commentators widely hailed the night as “historic.”
Both Saraf and Wolf are expected to suit up for the Nets’ Summer League team in July. As the two rookies begin their NBA journey, they join a growing generation of Israeli athletes proving that their game belongs on basketball’s biggest stage.
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Iran Denies Any Meeting With US Next Week, Foreign Minister Says
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attends a press conference following a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, April 18, 2025. Photo: Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via REUTERS
Iran currently has no plan to meet with the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday in an interview on state TV, contradicting US President Donald Trump’s statement that Washington planned to have talks with Iran next week.
The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran was assessing whether talks with the US were in its interest, following five previous rounds of negotiations that were cut short by Israel and the US attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The US and Israel said the strikes were meant to curb Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons, while Iran says its nuclear program is solely geared toward civilian use.
Araqchi said the damages to nuclear sites “were not little” and that relevant authorities were figuring out the new realities of Iran’s nuclear program, which he said would inform Iran’s future diplomatic stance.
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Ireland Becomes First European Nation to Advance Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlements
A pro-Hamas demonstration in Ireland led by nationalist party Sinn Fein. Photo: Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Ireland has become the first European nation to push forward legislation banning trade with Israeli communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — an effort officials say is meant “to address the horrifying situation” in the Gaza Strip.
On Wednesday, Irish Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Simon Harris announced that the legislation has already been approved by the government and will now move to the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade for pre-legislative scrutiny.
“Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza,” Harris said during a press conference.
The Irish diplomat also told reporters he hopes the “real benefit” of the legislation will be to encourage other countries to follow suit, “because it is important that every country uses every lever at its disposal.”
Today Ireland becomes the first country in Europe to bring forward legislation to ban trade with the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza.
Every country must pull every lever at its disposal. pic.twitter.com/Z4RTjqntEY— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) June 24, 2025
Joining a growing number of EU member states aiming to curb Israel’s defensive campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Ireland’s decision comes after a 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal.
The ICJ ruled that third countries must avoid trade or investment that supports “the illegal situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Once implemented, the law will criminalize the importation of goods from Israeli settlements into Ireland, empowering customs officials to inspect, seize, and confiscate any such shipments.
“The situation in Palestine remains a matter of deep public concern,” Harris said. “I have made it consistently clear that this government will use all levers at its disposal to address the horrifying situation on the ground and to contribute to long-term efforts to achieve a sustainable peace on the basis of the two-state solution.”
“Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are illegal and threaten the viability of the two-state solution,” the Irish diplomat continued. “This is the longstanding position of the European Union and our international partners. Furthermore, this is the clear position under international law.”
Harris also urged the EU to comply with the ICJ’s ruling by taking a more decisive and “adequate response” regarding imports from Israeli settlements.
“This is an issue that I will continue to press at EU level, and I reiterated my call for concrete proposals from the European Commission at the Foreign Affairs Council this week,” he said.
Last week, Ireland and eight other EU member states — Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden — called on the European Commission to draft proposals for how EU countries can halt trade and imports with Israeli settlements, in line with obligations set out by the ICJ.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the latest move by European countries, calling it “shameful” and a misguided attempt to undermine Israel while it faces “existential” threats from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas.
“It is regrettable that even when Israel is fighting an existential threat which is in Europe’s vital interest — there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession,” the top Israeli diplomat said in a post on X.
It is regrettable that even when Israel fighting an existential threat which is in Europe vital interest – there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession.
Shameful! https://t.co/lxm9qm8sM1— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) June 19, 2025
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