The confrontation between Israel and Turkey escalated today (Friday) as Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced that Ankara has taken steps to advance Interpol Red Notices against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Afik Moskovitz as part of proceedings in Istanbul stemming from Israel’s interception of activists aboard the Global Sumud flotilla. The legal process began last month, but the public announcement comes just days after Israel struck a military base in Syria amid concerns over a potential Turkish deployment there—and following increasingly sharp warnings exchanged between Jerusalem and Ankara.
According to Gürlek, proceedings are underway at Istanbul’s 11th High Criminal Court in a case involving 35 defendants. The case centers on Israel’s operation against flotilla activists who attempted to reach the Gaza Strip carrying humanitarian aid. The development announced by the Turkish justice minister does not constitute a new arrest warrant against Netanyahu. An Istanbul court had already ordered on July 14 that an arrest warrant be issued and a request submitted for an Interpol Red Notice against the prime minister in connection with the case. Gürlek has now detailed the steps taken following that decision.
According to the minister, after arrest warrants were issued against Netanyahu and Moskovitz, Turkey’s Justice Ministry contacted the Interior Ministry to advance efforts through Interpol to have them internationally listed as wanted. Relevant documents were also transferred to the Foreign Ministry.
According to Gürlek, the two are accused in the Turkish proceedings of genocide, crimes against humanity, aggravated deprivation of liberty, intentional injury, torture, property damage, aggravated robbery and hijacking a vehicle. These are allegations made as part of the Turkish proceedings and do not constitute a final judicial determination that Netanyahu committed the alleged offenses.
Gürlek accompanied his announcement with a sharp message against the Israeli government. “We will not allow the crimes committed in Gaza to be covered up or those responsible for them to be protected by a shield of impunity,” he said. He added that Ankara would continue using national and international legal mechanisms and would stand alongside the ‘Palestinians’ under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “We will resolutely take all necessary steps to ensure that those who commit crimes against humanity are held accountable before the law,” he added.
The timing of Turkey’s announcement is particularly notable given the events of recent days. Earlier this week, Israel struck the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northwestern Syria. According to reports, the operation was intended to prevent the possibility of Turkish forces deploying at the site. The strike damaged the runway, and no fatalities were reported.
Netanyahu later confirmed that Israel had issued a warning regarding Turkey’s military entrenchment in Syria. “We will not allow a Turkish military deployment advancing southward because it poses a threat to us,” Netanyahu said. According to Reuters, the question of a Turkish deployment had already been raised before the strike during an unusual August 14 meeting between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Mossad chief Roman Gofman. Syria, for its part, claimed it had informed Israel before the strike that there were no plans to establish a permanent Turkish military presence at the base. The Syrian foreign minister described the Israeli operation as unjustified.
Defense Minister Israel Katz has also joined the escalating exchange, issuing a direct warning to Erdoğan. Katz warned the Turkish president against dragging his country into “dangerous adventures in Syria” and against testing Israel’s determination to defend itself.
Israel’s message is that an expanding Turkish military presence farther south in Syria constitutes a security threat that Jerusalem will not allow to materialize. Turkey has rejected Israel’s claims and its justification for the strike. Ankara argues that statements from Netanyahu’s office are intended to justify Israeli attacks in Syria, which Turkey describes as violations of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Turkey also denied that a Turkish military delegation was present at the targeted base when Israel struck.