Türkiye wants to deport Israeli footballer for anti-Hamas gesture

Turkey wants to deport an Israeli soccer player who remembered the victims of the Hamas massacre while celebrating a goal. The judiciary accuses Sagiv Jehezkel of inciting hatred.

Sagiv Jehezkel just wanted to show solidarity with the victims of the Hamas massacre on October 7th. The Israeli professional footballer, who plays in Turkey, probably underestimated the consequences of his gesture. It not only brought him criminal proceedings before the judiciary and the wrath of the government in Ankara. He was also excluded from the squad of his Super League club Antalyaspor and was due to be deported from Turkey on Monday.

The public prosecutor's office in Antalya accuses Jehezkel of “incitement to hatred and hostility.” The player had written a message on his wrist bandage before the game against Trabzon on Sunday: “100 days. 7.10” it said, on the hundredth day after the Hamas attack on Israel. He also painted a Star of David. When Jehezkel raised his arms in celebration after his equalizer in the 68th minute, the cameras captured the message. Jehezkel then held them directly into the cameras.