The NBA on Friday removed a reference to "Palestine — occupied territory" from its website in an online poll in which fans are asked to choose the best players for an annual "All Star Game".
Israel's Sports and Culture Minister Miri Regev accused the NBA of "gross and blatant interference" and of "legitimizing the division of the State of Israel,” Agence France Presse reported.
She said the body's position contrasted with that of the US administration and President Donald Trump, who this month recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
"We do not produce the country listings for NBA.com and as soon as we became aware of it, the site was updated," NBA spokesman Mike Bass told AFP.
The NBA changed the name to "Palestinian Territories."
Trump sparked outrage across the world with his controversial December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
