Ben-Gvir labels Turkish President Erdogan a ‘full-on Nazi’

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, labelled Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a “full-on Nazi” after Israeli football player Sagiv Yehezkel was arrested in Turkiye.

Jehezkel, the Israeli football player, who had been held by police in Antalya, was suspended by Antalyaspor, a Turkish football club, over the weekend after wearing a bandage on his wrist which had the message “100 days, 7/10” marking 100 days since the prisoners of war were taken by Hamas to Gaza.

According to Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber, the Deputy Chairman of Antalyaspor, Alkan Evren, stated that there is an ongoing legal process to end the contract of the 28-year-old.

In response, Ben-Gvir urged Israel to boycott anything Turkish, stating: “Turkey acts against Israeli actors and anything that smacks of Israeliness in Nazism. I urge Israelis not to fly to Turkey, not to buy any Turkish products, and not to support them.”

“The State of Israel and Israeli citizens should show no leniency to Turkey. We will not let ourselves be trampled on,” the minister added.

טורקיה פועלת כלפי שחקנים ישראליים וכל דבר שמריח ישראליות בנאציזם. ארדואן הוא נאצי לכל דבר. אני קורא לישראלים לא לטוס לטורקיה, לא לקנות שום מוצר טורקי ולא לפרנס אותם. אסור למדינת ישראל ולאזרחי ישראל לנהוג בסלחנות כלפי טורקיה. לא ניתן שירמסו אותנו.

— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) January 15, 2024

Antalyaspor announced its decision to suspend Jehezkel from the team yesterday, saying that he acted against the “national values” and was “excluded from the squad by the decision of the board of directors.”

 A club statement added: “Our Board of Directors will never allow behaviour against the sensitivities of our country, even if it results in a championship or a cup.”

Turkish Justice Minister, Yılmaz Tunc, also wrote on X, that Jehezkel performed an “ugly action supporting Israel’s massacre in #Gaza” after scoring in Antalyaspor’s 1-1 draw against Trabzonspor.

Antalyaspor President, Sinan Boztepe, said in a statement on X: “The instant post after his goal was shared on our club’s official social media accounts, and the issue was noticed immediately.

“It has been removed. I would like the public to know that I will not allow such behaviour during my term as president, no matter what great success will come in the end.”

Bizim için ülkemiz hassasiyetleri her şeyin üstündedir. Sonunda şampiyonluk ya da kupa bile olsa, ülkemizin hassasiyetlerine karşı davranışlara asla müsaade etmeyeceğimi buradan belirtiyorum.

— Sinan Boztepe (@sinanboztepee) January 14, 2024

Israel has mounted a relentless military offensive against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, on 7 October.

The apartheid state has killed at least 24,000 Palestinian civilians and wounded more than 60,000 others, according to the local health authorities.

READ: Iran: US can’t call for restraint while backing Israel’s war in Gaza