(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
Prime Minister Netanyahu:
"We followed you and held our breath. Your success was fantastic, very impressive, with true fighting spirit and amazing results. To win the European championship two years in a row is a start. Now you must see to it that we maintain these two years and bring a third. Go to every competition as if you were going to lose – and win. Remember this simple principle.
Israel is an IT power, a water power and a cyber power. Recently it has become clear to me, thanks to the Culture and Sports Minister, that we are also a judo power. Now we want to be a basketball power – a youth basketball power. We will move forward step by step. Yours is a great achievement. You brought honor to the State of Israel and you fill us with pride. Well done!"
The Prime Minister added:
"I would like to commend the US House of Representatives for overwhelmingly approving, by a great bipartisan majority, Democrats and Republicans alike, a decision against boycotts against Israel. This attests to the support for Israel in the US; this support is bipartisan and is important to us. I welcome this decision. It is right. It is correct and it is very helpful."
Culture and Sports Minister Regev:
"We have great achievements in Israeli sports and we are proud of them. The policy is to play more abroad and to host more tournaments here. Our national team accomplished an amazing thing – reaching the championship three times in a row and winning it twice in a row."
National U-20 team coach Ariel Beit-Halahmi:
"We are proud to be Israelis. We are moved and blessed that we have had the privilege of representing the country and causing it such pride. This is our opportunity to thank all those who supported us – the fans, these astounding players, my staff and – of course – you."