Türkiye probes Israeli football player for ‘inciting hatred’ — RT World News
Sagiv Cezkel displayed a handwritten letter in support of hostages taken by Hamas during a Turkish league match
The Public Prosecution interrogated an Israeli football player from the Turkish club Antalyaspor, Sagiv Cezkel, after he was arrested on charges of harassment. “Inciting people to hatred and hostility” He is scheduled to be deported from Türkiye, Anatolia News Agency reported.
During a Turkish top-flight match on Sunday, Jezkel celebrated his goal by making a heart gesture and showing off his wristband to the camera, which featured a hand-drawn Star of David and the words “100 days, 7.10.”
The athlete dedicated his show to the 100th day since the Palestinian militant group Hamas carried out its surprise attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 240 others hostage. According to Israeli authorities, 132 people remain in captivity. The latest figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health indicate that 24,100 people have been killed in Israeli retaliatory attacks on the Palestinian enclave since October 7.
Cezkel was arrested in the coastal city of Antalya on Sunday. Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tun announced that the Israeli player would be investigated “Inciting people to hatred and hostility” because of his ugly gesture in support of the massacre committed by Israel in Gaza.
According to Anadolu, the 28-year-old midfielder was interrogated on Monday and subsequently released. She added that he is scheduled to be deported from Turkey on a private plane later today.
In his statement to the police, Jezkel claimed that with his gesture he was only seeking to draw attention to the conflict in Gaza and did not expect such a violent reaction. “I want the war to end as quickly as possible.” He added that he apologized to the Turkish people for this step.
In comments he made to the Ynet news site, apparently before his arrest, the player explained that what he had actually done was “A humanitarian gesture to the Israeli hostages in Gaza.”
Turkey was among the harshest critics of the Israeli attacks on Gaza during the past three months, describing them as… “Genocide”. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “radical person.” “Butcher of Gaza” He compared him to Adolf Hitler, among other things.
Antalyaspor fans criticized Jezkel for his gesture on social media, insisting the player has no place in their team. Some even protested outside the club offices late on Sunday.
The club said in a statement that it decided to exclude the Israeli midfielder from the squad due to his injury “Acts against national values” From Türkiye. According to Channel 12, it will cost Antalyaspor around $1 million to terminate the contract with Jezkel.
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