Israeli Süper Lig player taken into custody over gesture honoring Gaza hostages
Israeli football player Sagiv Yehezkel has been taken into custody after paying tribute to the Israeli hostages in Gaza during a Süper Lig match last night. The player is accused of "inciting the public to hatred and enmity."
After netting a goal for his Antalyaspor side in the match against Trabzonspor, Yehezkel exhibited a wristband to the cameras inscribed with "100 days" and "7.10.” Yesterday marked the 100th day of the war, which started on October 7 when Palestinian groups launched a large-scale attack on Israel.
Antalyaspor responded promptly by excluding Yehezkel from the squad. The club stated, "Our board will never allow behaviors that go against our country's sensitivities, even if it means losing a championship or a cup." The club also mentioned that the post after the goal was deleted from social media after the recognition of Yehezkel's message.
The president of the club, Sinan Boztepe, said in a written statement, "While we continue to see our players purely as athletes without making distinctions based on religion, language, or race, I strongly disapprove of this gesture that could lead to speculation."
Evren Alkan, a spokesperson for the club, announced that lawyers are working on terminating the contract of Yehezkel, and the termination is expected shortly.
The Turkish Football Federation also condemned Yehezkel in a statement on its website and expressed that "we found the decision to exclude the player appropriate."
It added, "Necessary procedures and disciplinary investigations against those responsible have been promptly initiated. There should be no doubt in the public's mind that appropriate actions will be taken against those responsible for this act that disturbs human dignity and the conscience of the Turkish society."
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç also condemned the player and woved to held those responsible accountable.
“It was important for me”
Explaining the incident to Ynet, Yehezkel said he wanted to make a humanitarian gesture and did not intend to provoke.
"It was important for me to point out that they have been in captivity for 100 days. I had no purpose to provoke or express a position on the matter. I know the sensitivity in Turkey, it was a pure gesture," the player was quoted as saying.
"Throughout my time in Turkey I did not express any position on the issue. When the head of the club informed me about a ceremony to commemorate the dead in Gaza before a game in Gaziantep, and they allowed me not to come, I stayed in Antalya and everything was fine.
“All in all, I marked half a heart and also wrote the number 100. It was not meant to provoke, on the contrary. Empathy for the abductees who are there every - So many days. I made sure throughout my time to be focused only on football.”
Yehezkel will return to his country later today, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement quoted by Ynet. "After political and consular activity by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other factors, soccer player Sagiv Yehezkel was released from detention and will return home to Israel later today," said the ministry. (VK)