Israeli soccer player arrested in Turkey on incitement charges to be brought before judge

Israeli soccer player Sagiv Jehezkel who was arrested in Turkey last night over a gesture he made during a game to the Israeli hostages to mark a somber 100 days in Hamas captivity, will be brought before a judge this morning, Turkish media reports.

Jehezkel was arrested on charges of “inciting people to hatred and hostility,” after celebrating an equalizer goal in Sunday’s 1-1 draw for Antalyaspor against Trabzonspor in the top Turkish league by making a heart sign with his hands to the camera, and showed the words “100 days. October 7” along with a Star of David symbol on his wristband.

He was promptly suspended from the team, amid wider calls to terminate his contract, and the Turkish justice minister announced an incitement probe against the player.

Jehezkel was cited by Ynet as telling his team’s leadership that all he wanted to do was “offer a humanitarian gesture to the Israeli hostages in Gaza.”

“It was important for me to point out that they have been in captivity for 100 days. I had no intention of making a provocation or expressing a position… I know the sensitivity in Turkey,” he said, according to the report.

In a post on X Sunday night, Sinan Boztepe, the president of the Antalyaspor Turkish club, said that Jehezkel had “acted against the sensitivities of Antalya, Antalyaspor and our country.”