Eden Karzev was briefly questioned by police after posting a message on social media commemorating the hostages’ 100 days of captivity.
Turkish football club Istanbul Basaksehir has terminated the contract of Israeli player, Eden Karzev, following a disciplinary investigation into his social media post calling for the release of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas.
The club’s decision comes days after another Israeli player, Sagiv Jehezkel, was briefly detained in Turkey. He was accused of inciting hatred for expressing solidarity with the hostages after scoring a goal in a first division match.
The Antalyaspor winger returned to Israel on Monday, to the cheers of the crowd, from the Turkish coastal city of Antalya where he was playing.
Eden Karzev was also briefly questioned by Istanbul police after posting a message on social media marking 100 days of the hostages’ captivity with the hashtag “BringThemHomeNow“(Bring them home now).
His club subsequently opened a disciplinary investigation on the grounds that his action was “contrary to the sensitivities of the country“.
“In accordance with the club’s disciplinary instructions, the player was fined and it was deemed appropriate for him to continue his career abroad”he announced in a press release after the investigation.
The actions of the two Israeli players were seen as support for the Israeli offensive in Gaza, although Sagiv Jehezkel and Eden Karzev both claimed their messages were intended to call for an end to the war between Israel and Hamas, which erupted after the October 7 Hamas raid.
In Turkey, public opinion largely opposes Israel’s actions in Gaza and overwhelmingly supports the Palestinians. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Israel of acts bordering on “genocide” while describing Hamas as a group fighting for liberation.
The detention of Sagiv Jehezkel, for its part, sparked outrage and widespread condemnation in Israel.