ALBAWABA - Görkem Sevindik responds after backlash over Palestine post sparks controversy.
Görkem Sevindik, who plays Kadir Baba in Kanal D's popular series Eşref Rüya, sparked controversy in Israel with his social media post about Palestinian prisoners. Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right figure, targeted Sevindik. Speaking to CNN Türk, Sevindik said, "As a person with a conscience, I am against such cruelty. As an artist and a father, I shared my feelings."
While the war launched by the US and Israel against Iran is also affecting the Gulf countries, Israel continues its attacks on Lebanon and its lawless cruelty against Palestinians, which has been exacerbated by the recent Israeli Parliament's decision to pass a law making it easier to impose the death penalty on Palestinians illegally taken captive.
ISRAELI PARLIAMENT'S DECISION
The Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, passed a law making it easier to impose the death penalty on Palestinians illegally taken captive. With this law, thousands of Palestinians held in West Bank prisons face the death penalty with no possibility of pardon or appeal.
HE DIDN'T REMAIN INDIFFERENT.
Görkem Sevindik, who plays the role of "Kadir Baba" in Eşref Rüya, a series produced by TİMSBİ and airing on Kanal D on Wednesday evenings and among the most watched shows, lamented, "The execution of 12,000 Palestinian prisoners has been approved." 4,000 of them are children…"
WHEN WILL WE RISE UP?
Saying, "Please don't be silent," Sevindik continued, "If humanity doesn't rise up today, when will it?" If we can't show that we are human today, when will we? Please don't be silent. Share this. Oppose these executions…"
PROVOCATIVE VIDEO
This post by the veteran actor Sevindik caused a great stir in Israel. Israeli National Security Minister Ben Gvir, known for his provocative statements, responded to Sevindik with a video message, saying, "Kadir from Eşref Rüya." You will never be Kadir Baba. We live in Israel. You can act in a Turkish series. The death penalty is now valid for terrorists."
DIGITAL WARS
Following these developments, numerous social media users defending Israeli policies sent threatening messages to Kadir Baba and called for a boycott of the series. Turkish digital media users, however, sided with Görkem Sevindik in this Israeli-focused debate.
I SHOWED EMPATHY.
Görkem Sevindik, the Kadir Baba of Eşref Rüya, immediately responded to the controversy on the set of the series, which is currently being filmed in Beykoz.
Speaking to CNN Türk reporter İlayda Karaca, Sevindik said, “While browsing social media, I came across a video. I witnessed the transportation of some individuals sentenced to death on a bus. I saw their last glances at their children, their last embraces. As a conscientious person, as a father, I empathized. As a conscientious person, I am against such cruelty. I wanted to show my reaction in my own way.”
THEY WERE DISAPPOINTED.
Standing behind his words, veteran actor Görkem Sevindik continued: “I stand by my reaction. I am against cruelty everywhere. Every conscientious and moral person in the world should be against war. Our series is very popular there; it's very well-watched. I think I'm a beloved character. My being conscientious, my showing this reaction, disappointed them, but I gave a reaction that a normal person should give.”
