Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu phoned Maccabi coach David Blatt and told him, “You did it big time. You kept us on the map. Israelis are lighting bonfires today, but you lit up the court in Milan and we are proud of you.”

“A big smile spread across my face and across the faces of all the people of Israel. It was a fantastic game with lots of team spirit and a spirit of victory. The citizens of Israel are all proud of you,” Netanyahu told Blatt.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman also welcomed the victory, writing on his Facebook page, “Maccabi Tel Aviv proved this season that, as in life, when everyone is united and fights together both on the court and in the stands, for the same goal, anything is possible.”

“So congratulations to Maccabi and to all the wonderful Israelis who pushed it towards that huge achievement and I wish that all aspects in our country will be run the same way,” he added.

Finance Minister Yair Lapid tweeted after the victory, “The world is yellow!!!!!!”, a reference to Maccabi’s yellow jerseys.

Deputy Religious Services Minister Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan also congratulated the team and said Maccabi’s victory came because of its spirit.

“The spiritual defeated the material, Maccabi Tel Aviv are the champions. It was because of its faith and spirit that Maccabi defeated two teams whose budgets are three times larger than Maccabi’s,” he said.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu watches Maccabi Tel Aviv in action and phones to congratulate coach David Blatt. Photos: GPO.