Injury concerns are beginning to mount for Israel coach Zvika Sherf ahead of the additional qualifying round for EuroBasket 2007 with Gur Shelef now unavailable due to back pain.

The veteran forward, a key player when Israel won the last ticket to EuroBasket 2005, has announced he is unable top play.

		Lior Eliyahu is another question mark for Israel.

There is speculation Shelef, 33, may retire, but he said to Y-net: "I still don't know what will happen with me. I have the whole summer to consider my future."

Shelef averaged 9.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists as Israel won the additional qualifying tournament in 2005.

They advanced to the elimination round before falling to eventual champions Greece.

Israel will once again have to go through the additional qualifying round in order to advance to EuroBasket 2007.

Coach Sherf is still monitoring the fitness of Lior Eliyahu, Moshe Mizrakhi and Erez Katz.

Eliyahu has a broken thumb and Mizrakhi and Katz have both had tests on hernias in a race to be fit when the side meets on July 4.