Turkey arrests Israeli footballer over display of support for Gaza massacre
An Israeli footballer was arrested for “inciting hatred” by displaying “an ugly gesture in support of the Israeli massacre in Gaza” during a match in Turkey.
Turkish media reported on Sunday that the 28-year-old Israeli player Sagiv Jehezkel was detained for questioning after his club, Antalyaspor, sacked him over the matter.
After scoring a goal for his team against Trabsonspor, Jehezkel revealed a message which read “100 days. 07/10” on a bandage on his left wrist- next to a Star of David.
The message was in reference to October 7 when Israel unleashed a war on Gaza killing more than 24,000 people in the Strip – mostly women and children – according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
“The Antalya public prosecutor’s office has opened a judicial investigation against Israeli footballer Sagiv Jehezkel for public incitement to hate due to his odious celebration in favor of the massacre committed by Israel in Gaza,” said Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc in a post online.
“We will continue to support the oppressed Palestinians,” he added, denouncing the ongoing “genocide” in Gaza.
A Turkish court on Monday released Jehezkel pending trial. He is expected to be brought before a court judge to issue a ruling on the charges lodged against him.
The gesture was deemed to be provocative in Turkey where there is widespread public opposition to Israel’s military actions against Gaza and overwhelming support for the Palestinians.
Since the start of the war, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a traditional supporter of the Palestinian cause, has repeatedly described Israel as a “terrorist.”
Antalyaspor football club also said it had sacked the Israeli player for having “acted against the values of our country.”
“In the Trabzonspor match we played today, I watched with sadness and surprise that Sagiv Jehezkel acted against the sensitivities of Antalya, Antalyaspor and our country,” Antalyaspor Club President, Sinan Boztepe, said on Sunday.
“I want the whole public to know that I will not allow such behavior during my term as president, no matter what great success may eventually come.”
Israeli media reported that the foreign ministry was working to free the footballer. Israeli authorities are reportedly waiting for the judge’s ruling before taking further action.
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