Israeli football player Sagiv Jehezkel left Turkey on Monday, hours after he was briefly detained for allegedly inciting hatred after he expressed solidarity with people held hostage by the Hamas militant organisation during a top-flight league game.
The Antalyaspor player was released from custody following questioning by police and court officials, a Turkish official said.
It was not clear if he was released pending a trial or if the accusations against him were dropped
The player left Turkey of his own will and there was no decision to deport him, the official said.
Earlier, Turkish media reports said that he was released pending a trial for inciting hatred. The reports later moved away from that storyline, without providing an explanation.
Welcome to Turkey’s Midnight Express.
This is unbelievable.
An Israeli football player, Sagiv Yehezkel, scored a goal for Antalyaspor, a Turkish team.
He made a gesture “100” for the Israelis who have been held hostage by Hamas for the past 100 days.
All hell broke loose:… pic.twitter.com/vjSfMGdWsG— Naftali Bennett נפתלי בנט (@naftalibennett) January 14, 2024
He had been detained for questioning late on Sunday after he displayed a bandage on his wrist, marked with the words “100 Days 7.10” – in reference to October 7, the day Hamas attacked Israel and the hostages were abducted – next to a Star of David.
The 28-year-old Israeli international told police he was simply calling for an end to the war.
Justice minister Yilmaz Tunc said Jehezkel was under investigation for “openly inciting the public to hatred and hostility”.
Mr Tunc maintained in a statement posted on X that Jehezkel had engaged in “an ugly gesture in support of the Israeli massacre in Gaza”.
The gesture was deemed to be provocative in Turkey where there is widespread public opposition to Israel’s military actions in Gaza and overwhelming support for the Palestinians.
Antalyaspor suspended Jehezkel from the team and announced that it was speaking to the club’s lawyers about the possibility of terminating his contract.
The player was expected to return to Israel on a private jet with members of his family, NTV television reported.
During his questioning by police, the player denied accusations that he engaged in a provocative act, the DHA news agency reported.
“I am not pro-war,” DHA quoted him as telling police. “I want this 100-day process to come to an end. I want the war to end.”
Jehezkel continued: “I have never engaged in anything related to politics since my arrival. I have never disrespected anyone since the day I arrived. The point I wanted to draw attention to was (the need) for an end of the war.”
The Turkish Football Federation condemned what it said was a gesture that “disturbed the conscience” of the Turkish public.
Jehezkel’s detention, meanwhile, sparked outrage in Israel.
Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz called on the international community and sports groups to take steps against Turkey and its “political use of violence and threats against athletes”.
“Whoever arrests a football player for a show of solidarity with 136 captives who are more than 100 days with the terrorists of a murderous terrorist organisation, represents a culture of murder and hate,” he said.
Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant called Jehezkel’s detention “scandalous”.
He wrote on X: “In its actions, Turkey serves as Hamas’ executive arm.”
