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(JTA) — An Israeli who performs for a Turkish soccer group was detained by police and suspended from his squad after displaying a message marking the passage of 100 days since Oct. 7.
Sagiv Jehezkel, 28, who performs for the top-tier Antalyaspor membership, wrote “100 days” and “7.10” on a bandage on his left wrist at a recreation on Sunday, accompanied by a Star of David, referring to the day when Hamas invaded Israel, killing and wounding hundreds and taking a whole lot of hostages. He confirmed the message to the digicam after he scored a objective.
Professional-Palestinian sentiment is widespread in Turkey, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan referred to Hamas as a “liberation group” following Oct. 7. After the sport, Jehezkel was detained by Turkish authorities for “instigating hatred and enmity among the many public,” the nation’s justice minister mentioned.
Antalyaspor’s president mentioned Jehezkel “insulted the values of Turkey,” and the group has mentioned it’ll launch him from his contract.
Jehezkel was held for 10 hours and launched after questioning from police and court docket officers. In accordance with the Related Press, he informed police that he was “not pro-war” and mentioned, “I would like this 100-day course of to come back to an finish. I would like the struggle to finish.” He added, “I’ve by no means engaged in something associated to politics since my arrival. I’ve by no means disrespected anybody because the day I arrived.”
After his launch, Jehezkel returned to Israel, the place he was met by followers who cheered and waved Israeli flags to greet him. In Israel, his gesture is being broadly interpreted as a name for the discharge of the hostages taken captive by Hamas on Oct. 7, greater than 100 of whom stay held in Gaza.
Jehezkel, who was wrapped in an Israeli flag upon descending from the airplane, strengthened that sentiment after coming dwelling.
“This was the toughest day of my life, however we shall be sturdy,” he mentioned, in accordance with the Israeli publication Ynet. “It’s most necessary that our hostages return and that our heroic troopers keep wholesome, and that the wounded heal. It’s most necessary that the nation of Israel lives.”
Israeli officers slammed Turkey over its detention of Jehezkel. Israeli Protection Minister Yoav Gallant called Turkey “the executive arm of Hamas” in a tweet, whereas Israeli Overseas Minister Israel Katz referred to as Turkey a “darkish dictatorship, which works towards humanitarian values and the values of sports activities.”
“Whoever arrests a soccer participant for a present of solidarity with 136 captives who’re greater than 100 days with the terrorists of a murderous terrorist group, represents a tradition of homicide and hate,” Katz mentioned.
Jehezkel is the newest in a string of athletes who’ve been caught within the storm of the Israel-Hamas struggle and its ripples around the globe. Final week, Jewish South African cricket participant David Teeger was eliminated because the captain of his nation’s Underneath-19 nationwide group, which cited the potential for anti-Israel protests towards him.
Earlier this month, Algerian soccer participant Youcef Atal, who performs for the French membership Good, obtained an eight-month suspended jail sentence and a superb after he was convicted of inciting spiritual hatred for sharing an Instagram publish calling for “a black day over the Jews.” Atal, who was additionally suspended by his membership, has since apologized for the publish.
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