Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced on Friday that arrest warrants had been issued on July 14 against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and another suspect. The charges encompass genocide, crimes against humanity, and torture as part of proceedings involving 35 individuals connected to Israel’s interception of vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters. Gurlek stated that the Turkish justice ministry requested Interpol red notices to enable international pursuit of those named in the warrants.
The Turkish government indicated its commitment to pursuing accountability through available legal channels. Officials emphasized that all mechanisms under national and international law would be deployed to address what Ankara characterizes as Israeli violations. Turkiye, a NATO member, has emerged as a prominent critic of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and previously issued domestic arrest warrants against Netanyahu on related grounds.
In May, Israeli military forces engaged with at least two vessels from the flotilla sailing toward Gaza in an effort to deliver humanitarian assistance to the territory. The flotilla had departed from Turkiye with approximately 50 vessels. The Israeli military detained the activists in the Mediterranean before transferring them to an Israeli prison and subsequently deportingting them. The incident generated international criticism, with France, Italy, and Australia subsequently launching their own judicial investigations.
Neither side has backed down from its position. Netanyahu’s office dismissed the Turkish action as an intimidation attempt, characterizing it as reflective of antisemitic attitudes and vowing continued forceful Israeli responses. Turkish President Erdogan’s office responded by criticizing Netanyahu’s statements as petty political tactics designed to portray Turkiye as a threat. Israel maintains that it acted appropriately in intercepting the flotilla, while Turkiye contends that the actions violated international law and constitute war crimes warranting accountability measures.
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