Turkey has formally asked Interpol to issue a Red Notice for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, N12 reports. Netanyahu responded by calling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan an 'anti-Semitic dictator' and warning that Israel would act if Ankara disrupts regional stability.
Turkey has formally requested that Interpol issue a Red Notice for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a new report from N12. The development comes hours after reports first surfaced this afternoon that Ankara had asked Interpol for arrest warrants against Netanyahu and dozens of senior Israeli officials over the seizure of the World Sumud flotilla in international waters. Prime Minister Netanyahu responded forcefully, calling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan "an anti-Semitic dictator" who supports Hamas, and warning that any Turkish disruption of regional stability would draw Israeli action.
The story unfolded rapidly Friday afternoon. At 15:00 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Turkey had formally applied to Interpol for arrest warrants against Netanyahu and dozens of Israeli officials, based on criminal proceedings at the 11th High Criminal Court in Istanbul. Subsequent reports confirmed the request and detailed that the warrants targeted senior security and political figures. By the latest update, N12 reported that the demand specifically seeks a Red Notice against Netanyahu alone, marking an escalation in Ankara's legal campaign.
The legal move is the latest chapter in a steep deterioration between Jerusalem and Ankara. In recent weeks, Erdogan has labeled Zionism a "genocidal, occupying, and expansionist ideology" that threatens Turkey and the world, as The Zioneer reported on June 27. Prime Minister Netanyahu has characterized Erdogan as "an enemy, not a frenemy" in a security discussion (The Zioneer, July 7) and warned him directly to "calm down," noting that Israel has demonstrated its military capabilities (The Zioneer, July 1). Netanyahu has also argued that Turkey under Erdogan does not deserve access to F-35 stealth fighters, citing Erdogan's hostility and Muslim Brotherhood ideology (The Zioneer, July 6). The confrontation traces to Israel's armed interception of the World Sumud flotilla in international waters.
It remains unclear whether Interpol will act on the request. No international body has yet responded to Turkey's move. The Israeli PMO has not issued additional statements beyond Netanyahu's earlier remarks.
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