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Görkem Sevindik responds after controversy erupts over his Palestine-related post
Görkem Sevindik, known for his role as Kadir Baba in Kanal D’s popular series Eşref Rüya, stirred up controversy in Israel with a social media post addressing Palestinian prisoners. Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right politician, criticized Sevindik. In an interview with CNN Türk, Sevindik stated, “As someone with a conscience, I am strongly opposed to such cruelty. As an artist and a father, I shared my feelings.”
Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict initiated by the U.S. and Israel against Iran continues to influence Gulf nations. Israel persists in its assaults on Lebanon and continues its brutal treatment of Palestinians—a situation worsened by the recent Israeli Parliament’s decision to pass a law easing the imposition of the death penalty on detained Palestinians.
Israeli Parliament’s Decision
The Israeli legislative body, the Knesset, approved a law that simplifies the process of sentencing Palestinians to death if they’re unlawfully detained. This legislation puts thousands of Palestinians imprisoned in the West Bank at immediate risk of execution, with no options for pardon or appeal.
Görkem Sevindik did not stay silent in the face of this law.
He expressed concern about the approval of the execution of 12,000 Palestinian prisoners—4,000 of whom are children—and voiced his dismay on social media. Sevindik, who portrays “Kadir Baba” in Eşref Rüya, a series produced by TİMSBİ and broadcast on Kanal D on Wednesday evenings and highly popular among viewers, shared, “The execution of 12,000 Palestinian prisoners has been approved.”
Following his post, Israeli Security Minister Ben-Gvir threatened Sevindik’s character on the series, Kadir Baba, via Twitter, saying, “Kadir, you will never become a father in your entire life. You are just in a Turkish series…”
When Will Humanity Rise?
Sevindik added, “Please don’t stay silent. If humanity doesn’t stand up today, then when? If we can’t demonstrate our human nature now, when will we? Please share this message. Stand against these executions.”
Provocative Response and Rising Tensions
The veteran actor’s comments sparked significant reactions in Israel. Ben-Gvir responded with a video message, mocking Sevindik’s character and asserting, “Kadir from Eşref Rüya. You will never be Kadir Baba. We live in Israel. You may act in a Turkish series, but the death penalty is now in effect for terrorists.”
In reaction to these developments, many social media users supporting Israeli policies sent threatening messages to Sevindik and called for boycotting the series. Conversely, many Turkish digital media supporters stood with Sevindik in this heated debate.
Sevindik further addressed the controversy in an interview with CNN Türk’s İlayda Karaca, explaining, “While browsing social media, I came across a video of some condemned individuals being transported by bus. I saw the final moments they shared with their children—their last hugs and looks. As a person of conscience and a father, I felt compelled to react. I oppose such cruelty and wanted to express my feelings.”
He continued, “I stand by my reaction. Cruelty should be universally condemned. Every moral and conscientious person worldwide should oppose war. Our series is highly popular there—it’s beloved by many. I understand that my stance disappointed some viewers, but I believe every normal person should react this way.”
The controversy also extended to a provocative video response from Ben-Gvir, who ridiculed Sevindik’s character and reinforced the harsh realities faced by Palestinians under Israeli policies.
The widespread outrage and threats on social media prompted Sevindik to emphasize his empathy and moral stance, clarifying that his reaction was driven by a desire to stand against injustice and cruelty. He stressed the importance of raising awareness and urged everyone to voice opposition to such human rights violations.
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