Sagiv Jehezkel, an Israeli footballer, has faced arrest and dismissal from his Turkish club, Antalyaspor, due to his dedication of a goal to hostages abducted by Hamas.
According to reports from the Daily Mail, Turkish police interrogated and detained him on Monday in connection to a message he displayed on his bandaged wrist during a top-tier match. The message, “100 days, 7.10,” referenced the 100 days that had passed since the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel.
Following his goal against Trabzonspor in Turkey’s Super League on Sunday, 28-year-old Jehezkel raised his clenched fist to display the message, subsequently leading to his removal from the club by its president, Sinan Boztepe.
In a statement, Boztepe explained, “Our Board of Directors will never allow behavior against the sensitivities of our country, even if it results in a championship or a cup.”
The Turkish Football Federation also supported the club’s decision, condemning Jehezkel’s behavior and deeming the exclusion from the squad appropriate.
Turkish Minister of Justice, Yilmaz Tunc, revealed, “Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched a judicial investigation against Israeli football player Sagiv Jehezkel for the crime of ‘inciting the public to hatred and hostility’ due to his ugly action supporting the massacre committed by Israel in #Gazze after the goal he scored.”
Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett criticized the arrest and removal of Jehezkel from the club, describing the situation as “unbelievable.”
Despite facing severe consequences, Israeli media reported that Jehezkel expressed no regrets about the gesture, stating, “It was a gesture for the Israeli hostages in Gaza, a humanitarian gesture. It was important to me to point out that they have been in captivity for 100 days. I didn’t want to provoke anyone. I know Turkish feelings, it was just a gesture.”
Jehezkel has been released pending trial, and a private plane has been dispatched from Israel to bring him and his family back home.
