In an interview on the Israeli Basketball Association’s website, Israeli player Dor Saar said before the game: "It’s known that they are quite anti-semitic and it’s no secret, and maybe that’s why a strong game is expected.
“We have to show that we’re better than them and win. We talk about it among ourselves. We know they don’t love us and we will leave everything on the field always and in this game especially.”
Basketball Ireland’s statement prior to the start of the game read: "Basketball Ireland informed Fiba Europe yesterday that as a direct result of recent comments made by Israeli players and coaching staff - including inflammatory and wholly inaccurate accusations of anti-Semitism, published on official Israeli Federation channels - that our players will not be partaking in traditional pre-match arrangements with our upcoming opponents.
How can you say that Israel’s response is justified and overblown? It would have been justified to respond to the terrorist attack, it is a war crime to bomb hospitals and refugee camps. Israel has killed more toddlers, 2-6 year old children, since October than Hamas has killed in total in their attack and since.
A state has a right to defend itself but it’s spineless to sit on a fence and call it centrist. Israel’s response is ridiculous and if it was Iran we’d have lost our fucking minds already.