It is considered a 'smaller games' for three reasons: attendance was significantly lower, particularly from the Australians (who sent only about 170 athletes, compared with around 400 in 1997); it was run at the height of the Second Intifada (and straight after the infamous Dolphinarium bombing—the largest of the Intifada—that killed 21 Israelis, mostly high school students); and not all wounds had been healed after the collapse of the bridge.

At the opening of the Games on July 16, 2001, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared: "Approximately 2,100 years ago, the Maccabees lit the torch in Modi'in and carried it to the gates of Jerusalem, in the Jewish people's struggle for freedom in its homeland.

[10] Russian Olympic champion fencers Sergey Sharikov and Maria Mazina won gold medals in men's sabre and women's foil.

Lydia Hatuel-Czuckermann won the bronze medal for Israel in the women's individual foil competition.

[16] Nicolás Valansi competed in soccer for Argentina, which won a gold medal, as he was named tournament MVP.