ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish authorities have detained soccer club Antalyaspor’s Israeli player Sagiv Jehezkel for questioning after he displayed solidarity with people held hostage by the Hamas militant organization during a top-flight league game.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said late Sunday the Israeli international is under investigation over possible charges of “openly inciting the public to hatred and hostility.” Tunc maintained in a statement posted on X that Jehezkel had engaged in “an ugly gesture in support of the Israeli massacre in Gaza.”
After scoring an equalizer against Trabzonspor during a home game, the 28-year-old Israeli player displayed a bandage around his wrist with an inscription marking the 100 days since the hostages were abducted on Oct. 7.
The gesture was deemed to be provocative in Turkey where there is widespread public opposition to Israel’s military actions in Gaza and overwhelming support for the Palestinians.
Antalyaspor suspended Jehezkel from the team and announced that it was speaking to the club’s lawyers about the possibility of terminating his contract.
The Turkish Football Federation condemned what it said was a gesture that “disturbed the conscience” of the Turkish public.
Jehezkel’s detention, meanwhile, sparked outrage in Israel.
“Shame on you, Turkish government,” Israeli former Prime Minister Naftali Bennet wrote on X.
2024-12-25 21:201257 view
2024-12-25 21:081140 view
2024-12-25 20:522600 view
2024-12-25 20:301302 view
2024-12-25 19:341105 view
2024-12-25 19:111775 view
The 21-year-old woman who died in a motorcycle crash in Johor on Tuesday (Dec 10) had just surprised
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump claimed Friday to have almost a half-billion dollars in cash but said h
Chrysler is recalling over 280,000 vehicles due to a manufacturing issue with the right and left air