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Israeli Basketball Teams, Sports Minister Welcome Return of EuroLeague, EuroCup Games in Israel
Rokas Jokubaitis and Kevin Punter play during the match between FC Barcelona and Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague at the Palau Blaugrana in Barcelona, Spain, on Feb. 5, 2025. Photo: Urbanandsport via Reuters Connect
Israeli basketball teams, sports officials, and President Isaac Herzog applauded the announcement on Tuesday that EuroLeague and EuroCup basketball games will return to Israel starting Dec. 1, following a two-year hiatus in which Israeli teams played their “home” matches throughout Europe due to the war with Hamas in Gaza.
“This is the right move. It is an important move,” Herzog said. “I call on all sports organizations around the world, in all sports: it is time to strengthen the shared spirit of sport, and the message that sport connects people, rather than divides them. Sport serves as a bridge of hope, fairness, and fraternity. Let’s play!!”
Herzog sent a letter to EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejūnas earlier this week, officially requesting the immediate return of EuroLeague games in Israel, the president shared.
Since the start of the Gaza war following the Hamas-led Palestinian terrorist attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the Jewish state has been playing EuroLeague and EuroCup games in neutral venues outside of the country. Euroleague Commercial Assets (ECA) member clubs met on Tuesday to discuss the current situation in Israel and Gaza, following the recently announced ceasefire, and after “thoughtful deliberation,” ECA clubs decided to resume games in Israel in December, they announced in a released statement.
“Until then, Euroleague Basketball will continue to carefully monitor developments, stay in close contact with local and foreign authorities, visiting teams, and all relevant organizations … and ensure that the safety and well-being of everyone involved remain the top priority,” the statement read. “Euroleague Basketball and its participating clubs welcome the recent peace plan with optimism and hope. The organization reaffirms its belief in the power of basketball to bring people and communities together, and its commitment to contributing to peace through the shared values of sport, respect, and unity.”
Israel’s Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar said the decision “reflects the new international reality Israel is in following the signing of the agreement to bring the hostages home.”
“Sport is a bridge that connects us all, and the return of the games carries with it a powerful and meaningful message,” he added in a statement shared with The Algemeiner. “The State of Israel warmly welcomes the teams, athletes, staff, and fans who will be arriving in Israel.”
The last European basketball game played in Israel took place on Oct. 5, 2023, a mere two days before the Hamas-led massacre in Israel. Maccabi Tel Aviv, six-time champions, and Hapoel Tel Aviv are the Israeli basketball teams in this season’s Euroleague, while Hapoel Jerusalem is competing in the EuroCup.
“With the announcement of the end of the war, behind the scenes began strong work against the Euroleague in collaboration with all the factors in order to return the games to Israel as quickly as possible,” said Hapoel Jerusalem. “We are happy that the efforts have paid off, and after more than two years of wandering – we are coming home.”
Hapoel Tel Aviv thanked EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejūnas, the organization’s management, and all EuroLeague clubs “for their understanding and support.” The team’s owner, Ofer Yannay, said the move “is an important step towards returning to normality, and it is especially exciting to know that our fans will once again be able to attend EuroLeague games up close, right where they belong.”
Maccabi Tel Aviv said it had been working quietly “behind the scenes” to enable Motiejūnas to make the decision to resume top European basketball competitions to Israel.
“This is an achievement of great importance for Israeli sports and the State of Israel, also from a diplomatic perspective,” the team stated. “The Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball club has proven once again that it is one of the leading and most influential forces in European sports. We will meet soon at the arena.”
Ari Steinberg, president of the Israel Basketball Super League, said: “This is a right and fair decision in favor of European basketball and the joy of hundreds of thousands of fans in Israel.”
“Over the past few weeks, we have done everything we could, working with clubs and other partners, to bring matches home, and I am delighted that these efforts have paid off,” Steinberg noted. “We all hope that FIBA [International Basketball Federation] will also make a similar decision and will announce the return of the Champions League games (BCL) and national team games as soon as possible. This is an important moment for all of Israeli sports. Am Yisrael Chai (Long Live Israel).”
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FBI Investigating Minnesota Fraud Scheme, Director Says
FBI Director Kash Patel attends the signing of an executive order by US President Donald Trump on a deal that would divest TikTok’s US operations from ByteDance from its Chinese owner ByteDance, at the White House in Washington, DC, US, Sept. 25, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
FBI Director Kash Patel said on Sunday the agency had deployed personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to “dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.”
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Netanyahu Departs for Florida to Meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem, Aug. 10, 2025. Photo: ABIR SULTAN/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took off Sunday morning at 7:30 AM IST on the “Wings of Zion” aircraft to Florida ahead of his meeting with President Donald Trump, set to take place at his private estate in Mar-a-Lago. In their meeting, the two are expected to discuss the transition to Phase B of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu is scheduled to land in Florida at 2:00 PM EST. His meeting with the US president is set to take place on Monday at 3:30 PM local time at Mar-a-Lago.
In addition to the Trump summit, Netanyahu is also expected to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as with members of the Jewish community in Miami and the Christian Evangelical community known for its support of Israel.
Netanyahu will attend a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio early Monday afternoon before meeting with Trump.
On Wednesday, the Israeli Prime Minister will meet with Evangelical leaders at 10:30 AM local time at his hotel and will then head to the Temple of Bal Harbour for an event with lawmakers, Jewish and community leaders, and local students.
He takes off for Israel on Thursday afternoon and is expected to land in Israel early Friday afternoon.
Netanyahu is expected to clarify Israel’s position to Trump, namely stating that the transition cannot take place before the completion of the first phase, which includes the return of the body of the last Israeli hostage, Ran Gvili.
Netanyahu will also raise the issue of the Iranian threat and the concern in Israel about the possibility of the ceasefire being exploited on the other fronts where Israel has been fighting in the past two years, including Syria and Lebanon.
i24NEWS’s Weekend Edition reported Saturday evening that the “Wings of Zion” plane will fly on a route that passes over Canada, despite the international arrest warrant against the Prime Minister.
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Iron Beam: IDF’s First Operational High-Power Laser Defense System
The “Or Eitan” system. Photo: Spokesperson and Public Relations Division of the Ministry of Defense
i24 News – Israel has achieved a major technological breakthrough in defense with the delivery of its first operational high-power laser system, “Or Eitan” (Iron Beam), to the IDF. The handover took place Sunday at Rafael’s facility, with Defense Minister Israel Katz and senior military and industry officials in attendance.
Developed over several years, “Iron Beam” is the first interception laser of its kind in the world to reach operational maturity.
During extensive testing, the system successfully intercepted rockets, mortar shells, and drones under conditions simulating real combat scenarios.
The laser will be integrated into Israel’s multi-layered air defense network, complementing the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow systems. Operated by the Israeli Air Force, it offers a significant economic advantage: its marginal cost per interception is nearly zero, a major shift in the cost equation for missile defense.
The project was led by the Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Research and Development in close cooperation with Rafael, Elbit Systems, responsible for the laser source, and other Israeli defense companies. Combining an advanced laser source with a unique electro-optical sight, the system provides maximum accuracy and efficiency at extended ranges.
The system’s name, “Or Eitan,” (Iron Beam) honors Captain Eitan Oster, who fell in battle in southern Lebanon.
Minister Katz described the milestone as a “game changer” that sends a strong message to Israel’s adversaries, from Tehran to Sanaa and Beirut. Rafael hailed the delivery as the beginning of the defensive laser era, placing Israel at the forefront of interception technology worldwide and reinforcing its strategic technological edge for future security challenges.