Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev (Likud) announced on Sunday night that her ministry will fund the security detail for the Hapoel Be’er Sheva soccer team’s upcoming game in Turkey against Besiktas.
"As recommended by the security agencies, security at a significant financial cost is required to secure the state champion Hapoel Be’er Sheva during its trip to Turkey," said Regev in a statement.
"I’ve instructed my ministry to pay for the extra security costs, given the recent sensitive security situation, and these costs will not be imposed on the team,” she continued.
The announcement follows Saturday night’s shooting attack in Istanbul, in which 39 people, including an Arab Israeli woman, were murdered.
The attack came three weeks after two explosions outside Besiktas’s home stadium in Istanbul killed 29 people and wounded 166.
Regev noted on Sunday night that many fans have been asking her whether they should fly to Turkey for the game, to be held in less than a month, due to the security situation.
"I'm asking the fans to behave according to the guidelines published by the Counter Terrorism Bureau,” she said.