On Sunday, Israeli soccer player Sagiv Jehezkel was detained and subjected to interrogation in Turkey after the player paid homage to the victims of the Hamas massacre carried out against Israel during a goal celebration. Jehezkel was later released on Monday, according to information from the DHA-Sports news agency reported by AFP.
During the Antalyaspor-Trabzonspor match in the Turkish Super League, Jehezkela scored a goal and decided to celebrate by showing his bandaged hand with a message that read "100 days, October 7," along with the Star of David. This was in reference to the day Hamas attacked Israel and mentions the amount of time that the hostages have remained in captivity.
What could have been interpreted as a peaceful gesture in support of Hamas victims resulted in the player’s arrest. According to the information from Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tuncen, the Prosecutor's Office decided to initiate a judicial investigation against the athlete for alleged incitement of "hatred and hostility" by making what he described as an "ugly gesture supporting Israel's massacre in Gaza."
Bugün oynanan Antalyaspor-Trabzonspor Süper Lig müsabakasında attığı golden sonra İsrail’in #Gazze'de yaptığı katliamı destekleyen çirkin hareketi nedeniyle İsrailli futbolcu Sagiv Jehezkel hakkında Antalya Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığınca ‘halkı kin ve düşmanlığa alenen tahrik etmek’…
— Yılmaz TUNÇ (@yilmaztunc) January 14, 2024
In addition to being arrested, the player was immediately suspended from Antalyaspor, and the club president promised to void the player's contract.
📌 Kamuoyuna Duyurulur!
Bugün oynadığımız Trabzonspor karşılaşmasında, Sagiv Jehezkel’in, Antalya’mın, Antalyaspor’umuzun ve ülkemizin hassasiyetlerine aykırı bir davranış içinde bulunduğunu üzüntü ve şaşkınlık ile takip ettim.
Kulübümüz resmi sosyal medya hesaplarında gol… pic.twitter.com/1jxA2dcKP0
— Bitexen Antalyaspor (@Antalyaspor) January 14, 2024
A ‘shameful’ decision
After Jehezkel was detained, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett shared a post on social media criticizing the decision.
"He was condemned by the national football association, his team announced he was suspended, then they said he'd be fired and to top it off, Turkish police have arrested him and he's undergoing interrogation. This is Turkey 2024. Shame on you, Turkish Government," he said.
Welcome to Turkey’s Midnight Express.
This is unbelievable.
An Israeli football player, Sagiv Yehezkel, scored a goal for Antalyaspor, a Turkish team.
He made a gesture “100” for the Israelis who have been held hostage by Hamas for the past 100 days.
All hell broke loose:… pic.twitter.com/vjSfMGdWsG
— Naftali Bennett נפתלי בנט (@naftalibennett) January 14, 2024
"When the earth shook in Turkey less than a year ago, Israel was the first country to stand up and extend aid that saved the lives of many Turkish citizens," said Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who also called the arrest "scandalous" and pro-Hamas.
כאשר רעדה האדמה בטורקיה לפני פחות משנה, הייתה ישראל המדינה הראשונה להתייצב ולהושיט סיוע שהציל את חייהם של רבים מאזרחי טורקיה.
מעצרו השערורייתי של הכדורגלן שגיב יחזקאל הוא ביטוי לצביעות ולכפיות טובה. במעשיה, טורקיה משמשת כזרוע הביצועית של החמאס.
— יואב גלנט - Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) January 15, 2024
Return to Israel
The Israeli Foreign Ministry reported that Jehezkel will return to Israel this Monday.
"Turkey has become a dark dictatorship, which works against humanitarian values and the values of sports," Foreign Minister Israel Katz maintained, in remarks reported by The Times of Israel. "Anyone who arrests a soccer player over an act of identification with 136 hostages who have been held for over 100 days in the hands of a murderous terror organization represents a culture of murder and hatred."
