LONDON: Israeli footballer Sagiv Jehezkel is facing prosecution in Turkiye for displaying a message marking 100 days since Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, the BBC reported on Monday.
Jehezkel, who plays for Antalyaspor, held up a bandaged hand that read “100 days. 7/10,” which also included a Star of David, after scoring a goal.
Turkish authorities detained him for questioning before releasing him pending a trial on Monday. The striker has been charged with “publicly inciting the public to hatred and hostility,” the BBC reported.
Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc stated on X that an investigation had been launched in response to the player’s “ugly action supporting Israel’s massacre in Gaza.
“We will continue to support the oppressed Palestinians,” he said, condemning Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza.
According to local outlet DHA, Jehezkel said through a translator that he did not “make a move to provoke” but simply wanted the war to end.
“I am not a pro-war person … there are Israeli soldiers captured in Gaza. I am someone who believes that this 100-day period should end now. I want the war to end,” he said.
Antalyaspor issued a statement following the match, saying that Jehezkel had “acted against the national values of our country” and would be “excluded from the squad.”
The Turkish Football Federation deemed Jehezkel’s actions “unacceptable” and Antalyaspor’s decision to drop him from the squad “appropriate.”
Caglayan Group, Antalyaspor’s main shirt sponsor, had warned that they will cease their sponsorship if Jehezkel’s contract is not terminated, the BBC reported.
Following his suspension, Israel’s foreign minister announced that Jehezkel was scheduled to fly home later on Monday.
On Oct. 7, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and kidnapping 240 others, according to Israeli authorities.
Since then, Israel has launched a brutal and near-constant bombardment campaign on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 23,000 people, according to the Gazan health ministry. Thousands more are believed to be dead under rubble.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been an outspoken advocate of the Palestinians and has been harshly critical of Israel’s measures in Gaza. Since October, there have been large pro-Palestinian rallies across the country.
