Türkiye Requests Interpol Red Notices for Benjamin Netanyahu

The Government of Türkiye has requested that Interpol issue Red Notices for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli national Afek Moskovitch. This request follows arrest warrants issued on July 14, 2026, by Istanbul’s 11th High Criminal Court. The legal action involves 35 defendants accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, torture, and hijacking following an armed intervention against the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian humanitarian aid effort bound for Gaza.

Justice Minister Akın Gürlek stated that Ankara will use all available legal means to ensure those responsible are held accountable, asserting that Türkiye will not allow the crimes in Gaza to be covered up. The Prime Minister's Office of Israel rejected the move, calling President Recep Tayyip Erdogan an "antisemitic dictator" and claiming the attempt to intimidate Israeli leaders "will go nowhere."

The diplomatic rift escalated further amid accusations regarding Syria. Israel claimed it bombed a disused military air base near Aleppo that a Turkish military delegation was visiting to reactivate. Türkiye denied any military presence at the site and maintained its support for Syrian sovereignty. In response to these tensions, Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated that Israel will not tolerate Turkish aggression and will continue to act forcefully against security threats.