Israeli football player Sagiv Jehezkel was arrested in Turkey for displaying a message regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza during the match. The incident broke out in the Antalyaspor-Trabzonspor match: After scoring the equalizing goal, Jehezkel showed the ‘100 days’ message written on the bandage on his left wrist to the cameras. 07/10′. Simply: the date of the attack carried out by Hamas, October 7, 2023, and the number of days since the start of the war. The article that cost the football player dearly: After the arrest, he was expelled from the Turkish club and decided to leave the country.
Israel-Gaza celebration: Football player arrested in Turkey
Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç announced that an investigation has been launched against the football player who allegedly incited hatred: “Antalya Prosecutor’s Office launched a judicial investigation against Israeli football player Sagiv Jehezkel for the crime of inciting the public to hatred due to his hateful celebration of football. The massacre committed by Israel in Gaza. ” Jehezkel, who was released upon the instructions of the authorities and sent to the hearing, will have to leave Turkey because of this celebration, which is considered “disrespectful” to a country that “stays with the Palestinian people”, as underlined by Minister Tunç. The football player, who was interrogated by the judge, defended himself by saying that his aim was not to incite hatred, on the contrary, “I did not want to provoke anyone and I want this war to end.”
Reactions from Israel: “Scandal. Erdogan is a Nazi”
The case caused immediate reaction from Israel. “The scandalous arrest of football player Sagiv Jehezkel is a manifestation of hypocrisy and ungratefulness,” thundered Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Türkiye, through its actions, functions as the executive branch of Hamas. When the earthquake occurred in Turkey less than a year ago, Israel was the first to stand up and provide the aid that saved the lives of many Turkish citizens.” Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz also reacted to the decision of the Turkish authorities: “Turkey is a dark country that works against human and sports values. It turned into a dictatorship. “Whoever arrests a football player because he identifies with the 136 hostages kidnapped by Hamas terrorists for 100 days, this represents terrorism.” A culture of murder and hatred. I call on the international community and sports organizations to take immediate action against political violence and threats against Turkey and athletes. “Today Sagiv will be another athlete tomorrow.” Today, Monday, January 15, the football player is expected to be repatriated and await the start of the trial in Israel. Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir’s comment is in the same direction: “Erdogan is a real Nazi.” He wrote about the smell of Turkey-Israelism. “I call on Israelis not to go to Turkey, not to buy their products and not to provide financial support.”
Second case in a few hours
Meanwhile, a few hours after Jehezkel’s arrest, Istanbul Başakşehir football team initiated a disciplinary investigation against Israeli football player Eden Karzev, who has been playing for the Boğaziçi team since 2023, on the grounds that it was “against sensitivity”. Türkiye was shared by the athlete on social media. Karzev is accused of “violating the club’s disciplinary instructions” when he wrote on Instagram: “Take them home now,” referring to Israelis held hostage by Hamas for 100 days. According to reports in the Turkish media, the club requested a “written defense” from the player regarding what was written on social media.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
