Turkey's Justice Ministry has requested an international arrest warrant from Interpol for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Justice Minister Akin Gürlek announced Friday.
The request seeks the issuance of a red notice—Interpol's highest alert level—to facilitate Netanyahu's arrest at an international level. The warrant also targets Afek Moskovitch, an Israeli military official, authorities said.
The arrest warrants stem from an investigation into Israel's interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian aid vessel bound for Gaza, in May 2026. The incident resulted in the detention of hundreds of activists aboard the flotilla.
An Istanbul court, the 11th High Criminal Court, issued domestic arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Moskovitch, and 34 other defendants on July 14, 2026. The charges include genocide, crimes against humanity, torture, unlawful detention, and intentional injury, according to officials.
Gürlek stated that the domestic warrants formed the basis for the international request submitted to Interpol. He said the relevant documentation had been forwarded to Turkey's Interior Ministry and Foreign Ministry to process the red notice application.
Netanyahu responded sharply to the announcement. In a statement, the Israeli prime minister accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of being "an antisemitic dictator who massacred the Kurds, harbors Hamas terrorists, occupies half of Cyprus, and imprisons a record number of journalists and political opponents." Netanyahu added that Erdogan was "now seeking to extend his aggression against Israel to Syria" and stated that "Israel will not tolerate it." He characterized the Turkish move as "a pathetic attempt to intimidate Israel's leaders and soldiers."
The timing of Turkey's action coincides with heightened bilateral tensions between Ankara and Jerusalem, including disputes over regional influence in Syria. Netanyahu is currently campaigning ahead of Israeli elections scheduled for October 2026.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 on charges of crimes against humanity in Gaza, though the ICC warrants operate under a different legal framework than Interpol's red notice system.
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