Soccer player detained in Turkey for backing hostages returns to Israel

Israeli soccer player Sagiv Yehezkel returned home on Monday night after Turkish police had briefly detained him for wearing an armband with the words “100 days” and a Star of David during a game in a show of solidarity with the 136 hostages held in Gaza.

“There is no place like Israel in all the world,” he said upon landing at Ben Gurion International Airport where he was greeted with a hug, and a bouquet of flowers. An Israeli flag was draped over his shoulders.

Cheering fans shouted surrounded him, yelling out, “he’s a hero.”

Yehezkel has played for the Turkish soccer club Antalyaspor in the country’s Super Big. Upon scoring a goal in a game in Antalya, he held up his hand with the 100-day armband, a move that was seen by Turkish authorities as an act of incitement.

Turkey has sided with Hamas and condemned Israel’s military campaign in Gaza to destroy the terror group. Jehezkel’s detention highlighted the tensions between the two countries, in a situation where both ambassadors had already been recalled toward the start of the war.

During the two years before the war, Jerusalem and Ankara had repaired their fraught diplomatic relationship. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had planned to visit Ankara in the fall of 2023, a visit that never came to fruition due to the war.

Feedback from Israeli and Turkish politicians

The Foreign Ministry and Israel’s security services worked behind the scenes to secure his release. Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had harsh words for Ankara. "Turkey has become a dark dictatorship, working against humane values and sports values. Whoever arrests a football player for an act of identification with 136 abductees who have been in the hands of terrorists of a murderous terrorist organization for over 100 days, represents a culture of murder and hatred. 

“I call on the international community and the international sports organizations to act against Turkey and its political use of violence and threats against athletes. Today it's Shagib Yehezkel, tomorrow it's another athlete,” he said.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant recalled how Israel had raced to help Turkey last year when it suffered from a serious earthquake, "When the earth shook in Turkey less than a year ago, Israel was the first country to stand up and extend aid that saved the lives of many Turkish citizens. The scandalous arrest of the footballer Sagiv Yehezkel is an expression of hypocrisy. Turkey is the executive branch of Hamas.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted on his X account that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was “a Nazi in every way" on Monday morning, as he explained that those in the country act against anything and anyone that represents Israel. He called on Israelis to boycott the country. “I urge Israelis not to fly to Turkey, not to buy any Turkish products, and not to support them. It is forbidden for the State of Israel and the citizens of Israel to show leniency towards Turkey. We cannot be trampled on." 

Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc posted on X that the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched a judicial investigation against Yehezkel or the crime of 'publicly inciting the public to hatred and hostility' due to his “ugly action in support of the massacre committed by Israel in #Gazze after the goal he scored in the Antalyaspor-Trabzonspor Super League match.

“I once again condemn the attacks of Israel, which has committed crimes against humanity by committing genocide in Gaza, regardless of children or women, young or old, for more than 100 days. We will always continue to stand by the oppressed Palestinians,” the Turkish Justice Minster said.

KAN News said that Yehezkel had spent the night in jail and had appeared in court on Monday, explaining that the legal proceedings were continuing, but that he had still been allowed to return to Israel.

Yehezkel, who joined the club during the summer is not the only Israeli currently playing in Turkey as Ramzi Safouri is also a member of the Antalyaspor club while hoopster Yam Madar plays for Fenerbahce as their future in the country is now in doubt. Turkish clubs who have been slated to play Israeli teams in the various basketball competitions have had to play their home games outside of the country due to security concerns.Uriel Strum and Reuters contributed to this report.