DTurkish football club Başakşehir Istanbul has parted ways with Israeli professional Eden Karzev after his expression of solidarity with his home country. The first division club had initiated disciplinary proceedings against the 23-year-old and announced on Thursday that Karzev had been fined and that it seemed appropriate for him to continue his career abroad.
He was reportedly loaned out to Maccabi Tel Aviv until the end of the season. The club already welcomed Karzev in a short video on the X platform, formerly Twitter.
Interrogated by police
According to the former Turkish champion, who is considered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's favorite club, Karzev is said to have violated the values of “our country” with his contribution. A suspected screenshot of his Instagram account, distributed by Turkish media, had shown an image with the number 100 and a demand to bring Hamas's Israeli hostages “home.” Karzev is also said to have been questioned by the police.
On Sunday, his Israeli compatriot Sagiv Jehezkel caused severe consequences with a gesture after his goal for Antalyaspor in the Turkish Süper Lig game against Trabzonspor that made the final score 1-1. He had held his bandaged hand up to the cameras, which had the words “100 days,” the date of the Hamas massacre on October 7, and a Star of David handwritten in English on it.
Jehezkel had even been arrested at some point and returned to Israel on Monday afternoon. The Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported that the investigations against him would continue. According to Anadolu, his contract with Antalyaspor should be terminated.
On October 7, 2023, terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups carried out a massacre in southern Israel. They killed 1,200 people and kidnapped around 250 others to the Gaza Strip. Israel responded with massive air strikes and a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, more than 24,000 people have now been killed.
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