Israeli Premier League

Top-division men's association football league From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Israeli Premier League (Hebrew: ליגת העל, Ligat HaAl, lit.'The Super League') is a professional association football league in Israel and the highest level of the Israeli football league system. The league is contested by 14 clubs, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with its second division Liga Leumit. Seasons run from August to May, with teams playing between 33 and 36 matches each, totalling 240 matches in every season.

Founded1999; 27 years ago (1999)
CountryIsrael
ConfederationUEFA (Europe; 1980–81; 1991–present)
OFC (Oceania; 1985–89)
AFC (Asia; 1954–74)
Quick facts Organising body, Founded ...
Israeli Premier League
Organising bodyIsrael Football Association
Founded1999; 27 years ago (1999)
CountryIsrael
ConfederationUEFA (Europe; 1980–81; 1991–present)
OFC (Oceania; 1985–89)
AFC (Asia; 1954–74)
Number of clubs14 (since 2012–13)
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toLiga Leumit
Domestic cup(s)Israel State Cup
Toto Cup (Al)
Israel Super Cup
International cup(s)UEFA Champions League
UEFA Europa League
UEFA Conference League
Current championsMaccabi Tel Aviv
(26th title)
(2024–25)
Most championshipsMaccabi Tel Aviv
(26 titles)
Broadcaster(s)Charlton Sport, Sport 5
Websitefootball.co.il
Current: 2025–2026 Israeli Premier League
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The competition formed in 1999 following the decision of the Israel Football Association to form a new league. It is also ranked 15th in the UEFA coefficients of leagues based on performances in European competitions over the last five years.[1]

Since 1932, a total of 15 clubs have been crowned champions of the Israeli Football League. Of the thirty one clubs to have competed since the inception of the Israeli Premier League in 1999, six have won the title: Beitar Jerusalem (twice), Hapoel Be'er Sheva (three times), Hapoel Tel Aviv (twice), Maccabi Haifa (ten times), Maccabi Tel Aviv (eight times), and Ironi Kiryat Shmona (once). The current champions are Maccabi Tel Aviv, who won the 2024–25 season.

Background

The Israeli Premier League was founded in 1999 to replace its predecessor Liga Leumit (which became the second division) when the Israel Football Association decided to reshuffle all the leagues in hopes of improving competition. In its first season there were 14 clubs; the top thirteen clubs from the 1998–99 season and the top place club from the Liga Artzit (then, the third division). That season three clubs were relegated and one from Liga Leumit was promoted.[citation needed]

Competition

There are 14 clubs in the league. At the end of each season, the two lowest-placed teams are relegated to Liga Leumit while two highest-placed teams of Liga Leumit are promoted in their place. For the 2012–13 season the league was decreased from 16 to 14 clubs as a result of reforms passed by the IFA on 27 June 2011.[2]

The participating clubs first play a conventional round-robin schedule for a total of 26 matches.

Following this, the top six teams play in a championship playoff, where they meet each other twice. Upon its conclusion, the first place team wins the Israeli championship and qualifies to participate in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. The runners-up and the third-placed teams qualify for the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League.

In addition, the Israeli State Cup winners qualify for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.

If the State Cup winners are also one of the teams to finish in the league's top three places then the fourth-placed team will also play in UEFA Europa Conference League. In case the State Cup winners also win the Israeli Premier League then the second-placed league team will play in first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.

In addition, the bottom eight teams will play each other once to avoid two relegation spots.

Clubs

A total of 31 clubs have played in the Israeli Premier League from its inception in 1999 and the start of the 2025–26 season. For a list of winners and runners-up of the Israeli Premier League since its inception, and top scorers for each season, see List of Israeli football champions.

Three clubs have been members of the Israeli Premier League for every season since its inception. This group is composed of Beitar Jerusalem, Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Members of the 2025–26 season

The following 14 clubs will compete in the Israeli Premier League during the 2024–25 season.

More information Club, Position in 2024–25 ...
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  1. Never been relegated from the Israeli Premier League
  2. One of the original Israeli Premier League teams

Sponsorship

In recent years, the league has been sponsored. The sponsor has been able to determine the league's sponsorship name. The list below details who the sponsors have been and what they called the competition:

  • 1999–2002: Pelephone – a mobile phone company (Ligat Pelephone)[3]
  • 2005–2010: Toto Winner Organization – the Israeli Sports Betting Board (Ligat Toto)
  • 2010–2016: Toto Winner Organization – the Israeli Sports Betting Board (Ligat Winner)[4]
  • 2016–2018: Toto Winner Organization – the Israeli Sports Betting Board (Ligat Ha'al)[5]
  • 2018–2019: Japanika – Asian restaurant (Ligat Japanika)[6]
  • 2019–2022: Tel Aviv Stock Exchange – Stock Exchange (Ligat Habursa Leniyarot Erech)[7]
  • 2022–2024: ONE ZERO – Digital Bank (Ligat ONE ZERO)[8]
  • 2024- : Toto Winner Organization – the Israeli Sports Betting Board (Ligat Toto Winner)[9]

Number of foreigners

Teams are limited to Eight foreign players per team. Special circumstances such as Druze players from the Golan (no citizenship) or cases such as that of Toto Tamuz, do not count against the foreign player limit. In addition, players who play in the league for 6 consecutive years do not count against the foreign player limit. Also, Jewish players and players who are married to Israelis are exempt from these restrictions, as they are entitled to Israeli citizenship.

Broadcast rights

Television

Israeli Premier League games are broadcast live on Sport 1, Sport 1 HD, and Sport 2 channels, with the big match of the week which is reserved to be shown by Sport 5 and Channel 1 HD network television. There is also a league review show on Saturday nights at Sport 5 channel.

Abroad, rights to broadcasting in Hebrew are owned by The Israeli Network which broadcasts the matches in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Panama, Costa Rica and in Europe.

In the United Kingdom, William Hill broadcasts matches live with English commentary on their online television service, William Hill TV.

Radio

The rights of broadcasting on the radio belongs to Radio Tel Aviv since 2011, which broadcast alongside Radio Haifa, Radio Darom, Radio Galei Zahal and Radio Darom 101.5 in a show called Saturday of Football which also broadcasts live on ONE TV channel.

Internet

The big match of the week is shown on the Channel 1 website. Since 2010, games summaries are shown online by Ynet, ONE and Sport 5.

Cellular

Since 2012, ONE owns the broadcasting rights, which was previously owned by Sport 5.

Revenue

Main sources of revenue for the clubs:

  • Broadcast rights
  • Ticket sales
  • Merchandise
  • Toto Winner – The Israeli Sports Betting Council
  • Sponsorship

UEFA league ranking

Country ranking in European Leagues

UEFA League Ranking for the 2019–2024 period:

Source: UEFA Coefficients Graphs, 2024 UEFA Country Ranking

Champions

For the complete list read the main article.

Performance by club

A star above the crest is awarded for every five titles.

More information Club, Titles ...
Club Titles Runners-up Winning seasons
Maccabi Tel Aviv
StarStarStarStarStar
26 12 1935–36, 1937, 1939, 1941–42, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1957–58, 1966–68, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2002–03, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2023–24, 2024–25
Maccabi Haifa
StarStarStar
15 10 1983–84, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
Hapoel Tel Aviv
StarStar
13 16 1933–34, 1934–35, 1938–39, 1940–41, 1943–44, 1956–57, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1980–81, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1999–2000, 2009–10
Hapoel Petah Tikva
Star
6 10 1954–55, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63
Beitar Jerusalem
Star
6 6 1986–87, 1992–93, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2006–07, 2007–08
Maccabi Netanya
Star
5 5 1970–71, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1982–83
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Star
5 4 1974–75, 1975–76, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
Hakoah Ramat Gan 2 1964–65, 1972–73
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv 1 3 1989–90
Hapoel Haifa 1 1 1998–99
Ironi Kiryat Shmona 1 1 2011–12
British Police[nb 1] 1 1931–32
Hapoel Ramat Gan 1 1963–64
Hapoel Kfar Saba 1 1981–82
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Israeli Premier League (1999–present)

A stand full of football supporters clad in yellow and blue, beside a pitch.
Maccabi Tel Aviv celebrating their league winners title at the end of the 2012–13 season

When the Israeli Premier League became the top division of Israeli football in 1999–2000, Liga Leumit became the second division. Since then, only six clubs have won the title; Hapoel Tel Aviv, Ironi Kiryat Shmona, Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Be'er Sheva. Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem are sometimes referred to as the "Big Four" of Israeli football.[10]

Having won nine titles in the league's 23 seasons, the most successful club during this period is Maccabi Haifa; during the same period Maccabi Tel Aviv have added six to their total while Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Tel Aviv have won two championships each. Although Hapoel Tel Aviv have only finished top of the league twice since 1999—in 1999–2000 and ten years later in 2009–10—they have won the double on both occasions. This achievement was matched by Beitar Jerusalem in 2007–08.

Ironi Kiryat Shmona won their first championship during the 2011–12 season, thereby becoming the first northern title-winners. Maccabi Tel Aviv then won three titles in a row, including a Treble in 2014–15.

Key
Won the Israel State Cup during the same season.
Won the League Cup during the same season.
§ Won both cups during the same season.
(titles) A running tally of the total number of championships won by each club is kept in brackets.
More information Winners (titles), Runners-up ...
Season Winners (titles) Runners-up Third place Top scorer Goals Notes
1999–2000 Hapoel Tel Aviv (11)[a] Maccabi Haifa Hapoel Petah Tikva Assi Tubi (Maccabi Petah Tikva) 27
2000–01 Maccabi Haifa (6) Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Haifa[b] Avi Nimni (Maccabi Tel Aviv) 25 [13]
2001–02 Maccabi Haifa (7) Hapoel Tel Aviv[b] Maccabi Tel Aviv[a] Kobi Refua (Maccabi Petah Tikva) 18
2002–03 Maccabi Tel Aviv (19) Maccabi Haifa[b] Hapoel Tel Aviv Yaniv Abargil (Hapoel Kfar Saba)Shay Holtzman (Ironi Rishon LeZion / F.C. Ashdod) 18
2003–04 Maccabi Haifa (8) Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Petah Tikva[b] Ofir Haim (Hapoel Be'er Sheva)Shay Holtzman (F.C. Ashdod) 16
2004–05 Maccabi Haifa (9) Maccabi Petah Tikva F.C. Ashdod Roberto Colautti (Maccabi Haifa) 19
2005–06 Maccabi Haifa (10)[b] Hapoel Tel Aviv Beitar Jerusalem Shay Holtzman (F.C. Ashdod) 18
2006–07 Beitar Jerusalem (5) Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Tel Aviv Yaniv Azran (F.C. Ashdod) 15
2007–08 Beitar Jerusalem (6)[a] Ironi Kiryat Shmona Samuel Yeboah (Hapoel Kfar Saba) 15
2008–09 Maccabi Haifa (11) Hapoel Tel Aviv Beitar Jerusalem[a] Barak Yitzhaki (Beitar Jerusalem)Shimon Abuhatzira (Hapoel Petah Tikva)Eliran Atar (Bnei Yehuda) 14
2009–10 Hapoel Tel Aviv (13)[a] Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Tel Aviv Shlomi Arbeitman (Maccabi Haifa) 28
2010–11 Maccabi Haifa (12) Hapoel Tel Aviv [a] Toto Tamuz (Hapoel Tel Aviv) 21
2011–12 Ironi Kiryat Shmona (1)[b] Hapoel Tel Aviv Bnei Yehuda Achmad Saba'a (Maccabi Netanya) 20
2012–13 Maccabi Tel Aviv (20) Maccabi Haifa Hapoel Tel Aviv Eliran Atar (Maccabi Tel Aviv) 22
2013–14 Maccabi Tel Aviv (21) Hapoel Be'er Sheva Ironi Kiryat Shmona[a] Eran Zahavi (Maccabi Tel Aviv) 29
2014–15 Maccabi Tel Aviv (22)§[c] Ironi Kiryat Shmona Hapoel Be'er Sheva 27
2015–16 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (3) Maccabi Tel Aviv Beitar Jerusalem 35
2016–17 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (4) [b] Viðar Örn Kjartansson (Maccabi Tel Aviv) 19
2017–18 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (5) Maccabi Tel Aviv[b] Dia Saba (Maccabi Netanya) 24
2018–19 Maccabi Tel Aviv (23)[b] Maccabi Haifa Hapoel Be'er Sheva Ben Sahar (Hapoel Be'er Sheva) 15
2019–20 Maccabi Tel Aviv (24) Beitar Jerusalem[b] Nikita Rukavytsya (Maccabi Haifa) 22
2020–21 Maccabi Haifa (13) Maccabi Tel Aviv§[c] Ashdod 19
2021–22 Maccabi Haifa (14)[b] Hapoel Be'er Sheva[a] Maccabi Tel Aviv Omer Atzili (Maccabi Haifa) 20
2022–23 Maccabi Haifa (15) Hapoel Be'er Sheva Maccabi Tel Aviv 21
2023–24 Maccabi Tel Aviv (25)[b] Maccabi Haifa Hapoel Be'er Sheva Dean David (Maccabi Haifa)Eran Zahavi (Maccabi Tel Aviv) 20
2024–25 Maccabi Tel Aviv (26)[b] Hapoel Be'er Sheva[a] Maccabi Haifa Guy Melamed (Hapoel Haifa, Maccabi Haifa) 21
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  1. Won the Israel State Cup during the same season.
  2. Won the League Cup during the same season.
  3. Won both cups during the same season.

"Big Four" dominance

More information Season, BEI ...
"Big Four" since the start of the Israeli Premier League[14]
SeasonBEIHTAMHAMTA
1999–2000 5126
2000–01 5214
2001–02 10213
2002–03 9321
2003–04 9512
2004–05 4918
2005–06 3216
2006–07 1453
2007–08 1756
2008–09 3216
2009–10 5123
2010–11 11213
2011–12 9256
2012–13 10321
2013–14 7451
2014–15 4851
2015–16 3942
2016–17 31462
2017–18 3102
2018–19 7821
2019–20 3521
2020–21 101112
2021–22 10513
2022–23 81013
2023–24 111321
2024–25 431
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Since the 2015–16 season, the Big Four's dominance has been challenged by Hapoel Be'er Sheva, winning 3 successive championships, they also finished runners up in the 2021–22 and 2024-25 seasons.

Notably, three of the big four teams all finished near or at the bottom of the table at some point. (Hapoel Tel Aviv has been the only one to be relegated so far)

Top scorers by season

Individual records

More information Rank, Player ...
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Player transfer fees

More information Rank, Player ...
Top transfer fees received by Israeli Premier League clubs
Rank Player Fee (min.) Date Transfer Reference(s)


1 Israel Anan Khalaily €7.5M 17 June 2024 Maccabi Haifa Belgium Saint-Gilloise
2 Brazil Weslley Patati €7.3M 28 August 2025 Maccabi Tel Aviv Netherlands Alkmaar
3 Israel Eran Zahavi €7.23M 29 June 2016 Maccabi Tel Aviv China Guangzhou R&F
4 Israel Oscar Gloukh €7M 27 January 2023 Maccabi Tel Aviv Austria Red Bull Salzburg
5 Israel Manor Solomon €6M 11 January 2019 Maccabi Petah Tikva Ukraine Shakhtar Donetsk
6 Israel Daniel Peretz €5M 25 August 2023 Maccabi Tel Aviv Germany Bayern Munich
7 Angola Felício Milson €5M 26 July 2024 Maccabi Tel Aviv Serbia Red Star Belgrade
8 Serbia Predrag Rajković €5M 23 July 2019 Maccabi Tel Aviv France Reims
9 Nigeria Yakubu Ayegbeni €4.75M 6 January 2003 Maccabi Haifa England Portsmouth
10 Israel Dor Turgeman €4.7M 20 August 2025 Maccabi Tel Aviv United States New England Revolution
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All-time table

The All-time Israeli Premier League table is a cumulative record of all match results, points and goals of every team that has played in the Israeli Premier League since its inception in 1999. The table that follows is accurate as of the end of the 2024–25 season. Teams in green are part of the 2025–26 Israeli Premier League. Numbers in bold are the record (highest) numbers in each column.

More information Pos., Club ...
Pos. Club S Pld W D L GF GFPG GA GAPG GD Pts R Avg. Pts
1Maccabi Tel Aviv 2691650322219115481.698140.889734172385666.27
2Maccabi Haifa 2691350420520415771.7278760.9597011714107165.92
3Beitar Jerusalem 2689535923729912261.3710891.21713713022650.08
4Hapoel Tel Aviv 2482335623423311521.48841.0742681287262253.63
5Hapoel Be'er Sheva 2070033517217310571.517741.1062831175343158.75
6Maccabi Netanya 237912762113049921.25410721.355-8010391345.17
7F.C. Ashdod 2585026723035310071.18511941.405-18710312141.24
8Maccabi Petah Tikva 237832682162998941.1429791.25-85102011444.35
9Bnei Yehuda 206882331842717811.1698731.269-928831344.15
10Hapoel Haifa 206892241992668161.1848561.242-498711243.55
11Bnei Sakhnin 206812051942826831.0038861.301-203805240.25
12Ironi Kiryat Shmona 165461971531966651.2186491.18916744112246.5
13Hapoel Petah Tikva 144811391272155741.1937241.505-1505321438
14Hapoel Kfar Saba 930372901412910.964361.439-145303533.67
15Hapoel Acre 827072811172881.0673891.441-101295136.88
16Hapoel Ra'anana 826966811222510.9333671.364-116279234.88
17Hapoel Hadera 723468651012240.9573371.44-113269138.43
18Hapoel Jerusalem 51744942832481.4251811.0467189137.8
19Hapoel Rishon LeZion 51804141981951.0833461.756-21164232.8
20Maccabi Bnei Reineh 31023127441061.0391411.382-3512040
21Hapoel Ramat HaSharon 3106322351970.9151541.453-57119139.67
22Hapoel Nof HaGalil 399262944960.971461.475-50107235.67
23Maccabi Herzliya 31052524561121.0671791.705-6799233
24Hapoel Ramat Gan 3103192955950.9221611.563-6686228.67
25Hapoel Ashkelon 31012025561590.7921591.574-7985228.33
26Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan 266122133580.8791001.515-4257228.5
27Sektzia Ness Ziona 266131835540.8181021.545-4857228.5
28Maccabi Ahi Nazareth 268151340731.0741432.103-7055227.5
29Ironi Tiberias 13381114280.8480.854-173535
30Maccabi Kiryat Gat 1337620341.03581.758-2427127
31Hapoel Tzafririm Holon 1384430250.658852.237-6016116
Total2612,1064,4463,2144,44614,2481.17716,48826-634.15
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League or status at 2025–26:
Ligat HaAl
Liga Leumit
Liga Alef
Liga Bet
Liga Gimel
Clubs that no longer exist

Notes

  1. British Police ceased to exist along its parent organisation, the Palestine Police Force, in 1948.

Record of finishing positions of clubs in the Israeli Premier League

Table correct as at the end of the 2024–25 Israeli Premier League season.

More information Club, Best result ...
Club Best result S 99–00 00–01 01–02 02–03 03–04 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21 21–22 22–23 23–24 24–25 25–26
Maccabi Haifa 1st (x10) 27 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 5 5 1 2 1 5 2 5 5 4 6 10 2 2 1 1 1 2 3
Maccabi Tel Aviv 1st (x8) 27 6 4 3 1 2 8 6 3 6 6 3 3 6 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 3 3 1 1
Beitar Jerusalem 1st (x2) 27 5 5 10 9 9 4 3 1 1 3 5 11 9 10 7 4 3 3 3 7 3 10 10 8 11 4
Hapoel Tel Aviv 1st (x2) 25 1 2 2 3 5 9 2 4 7 2 1 2 2 3 4 8 9 14 8 5 11 5 10 13
F.C. Ashdod 3rd (x2) 26 8 10 4 7 7 3 8 7 8 8 6 12 7 7 8 14 9 12 12 8 3 9 6 10 11
Maccabi Petah Tikva 2nd (x1) 23 4 8 8 6 3 2 5 6 10 7 8 7 14 12 6 7 4 8 13 5 13 8 13
Maccabi Netanya 2nd (x2) 24 10 7 7 4 11 7 2 2 4 10 6 4 13 9 14 5 4 10 7 4 5 9 6
Bnei Yehuda 3rd (x1) 20 11 11 10 6 6 4 9 9 5 4 4 3 4 14 8 11 6 5 7 13
Hapoel Be'er Sheva 1st (x3) 21 5 5 4 12 9 9 13 8 2 3 1 1 1 3 4 4 2 2 3 2
Hapoel Haifa 3rd (x1) 21 7 3 11 11 11 10 12 9 11 12 12 8 4 11 6 9 11 7 4 5
Bnei Sakhnin 4th (x1) 21 10 10 12 4 9 7 13 8 12 6 7 5 5 11 14 12 6 9 6 10
Ironi Kiryat Shmona 1st (x1) 17 3 12 5 1 5 3 2 11 7 7 10 12 6 7 13 9
Hapoel Petah Tikva 3rd (x1) 15 3 6 6 8 8 7 9 12 10 13 14 16 13 14
Hapoel Kfar Saba 8th (x1) 9 12 11 10 8 11 10 13 11 14
Hapoel Ironi Acre 8th (x1) 8 12 8 10 11 10 11 13 14
Hapoel Ra'anana 6th (x1) 8 15 9 10 6 10 9 9 14
Hapoel Rishon LeZion 9th (x3) 5 9 9 9 12 15
Hapoel Hadera 6th (x1) 7 6 9 8 8 12 12 14
Hapoel Jerusalem 4th (x1) 6 14 12 4 7 7
Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon 6th (x1) 3 11 6 13
Maccabi Herzliya 10th (x1) 3 13 10 12
Hapoel Ashkelon 12th (x1) 3 15 12 13
Hapoel Ramat Gan 14th (x2) 3 14 16 14
Hapoel Nof HaGalil 5th (x1) 3 5 11 14
Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan 11th (x2) 2 11 11
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth 12th (x1) 2 12 16
Sektzia Ness Ziona 13th (x1) 2 13 14
Maccabi Kiryat Gat 12th (x1) 1 12
Hapoel Tzafririm Holon 12th (x1) 1 12
Maccabi Bnei Reineh 5th (x1) 4 11 5 8
Ironi Tiberias 12th (x1) 2 12
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See also

References

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