Israeli footballer returning home after Turkish arrest over pro-Israel display

A Turkish court on Monday released an Israeli footballer who was detained overnight and accused of incitement to hate by displaying a message about Israel's war on Gaza during a first-division match.

Sagiv Jehezkel, 28, held up a bandage on his wrist reading "100 days. 07/10" next to a Star of David when he celebrated scoring a goal for Antalyaspor against Trabzonspor on Sunday.

Turkish prosecutors launched a criminal investigation for alleged "incitement to hate and hostility" and his club tore up the forward's contract for "exhibiting behaviour that goes against our country's sensitivities".

Israel condemned Jehezkel's detention, sending already strained relations between the two regional powers to a new low.

"I call on the international community and the international sports organisations to act against Turkey and against its political use of violence and threats against athletes," said Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, whose country had earlier advised Israeli citizens to leave Turkey as a security precaution.

Antalyaspor'un siyonist futbolcusu Sagiv Jehezkel attığı golü "100 gün 7.10" yazısıyla kutladı

100 günde binlerce Gazzeli çocuk ve kadın katledildi

Bu soykırımı küstahça sevincine alet eden alçağı ülkemizde istemiyoruz!

Tweeti silmeniz yetmez derhal takımdan kovun @Antalyaspor pic.twitter.com/ByDfAd2eJX

— Mehmet Toprak (@MehToprak) January 14, 2024

An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman said Jehezkel would return to Israel later on Monday.

It was not immediately clear if a trial would be held against the player in absentia, or if he intended to return to Turkey.

The message on Jehezkel's bandage referred to the 100 days since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, which was marked on Sunday.

More than 24,000 Palestinians – the majority of whom were civilians – have been killed by the Israeli onslaught, according to Gaza health authorities.

In testimony to the police, Jehezkel said he wanted to call attention to the captives taken by Hamas and in no way intended to support the war.

"I am not a pro-war person," the private DHA news agency reported him as saying.

"After all, there are also Israeli soldiers taken prisoner in Gaza. I am someone who believes that this 100-day period should end now. I want the war to end. That's why I showed the sign," he reportedly told the police.

He said he never intended to get involved in politics and was careful to respect Turkish cultural sensitivities since signing with the Mediterranean coast club in September.

"Since the day I arrived, I have never disrespected anyone. The point I wanted to draw attention to was the end of the war," he said.

Ülkemizin değerlerini ve hassasiyetini hiçe sayarak sosyal medya paylaşımı yapan siyonizm destekçisi eden kartsev semtimizde istemiyoruz ! pic.twitter.com/NhFUYSrZQR

— 1453 Başakşehirliler (@1453BASAKSEHIR) January 14, 2024

Antalyaspor said it had sacked Jehezkel, tearing up a contract that had been due to run until 2026.

"Our board will never allow behaviour against the sensitivities of our country no matter if it costs championship or trophy," the club said on X, formerly Twitter.

In a separate incident, Istanbul's top-flight side Basaksehir said it was launching a disciplinary investigation into another Israeli player, Eden Karzev, for reposting a social media message about the hostages reading: "Bring Them Home Now".