Turkey has formally requested that Interpol issue a Red Notice for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to The Zioneer. In response, Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel could strike Turkish assets without triggering NATO’s Article 5, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned that Turkey would become Israel's 'worst nightmare.'
On Saturday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel could strike Turkish assets without triggering NATO's Article 5, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan threatened that Turkey would become Israel's 'worst nightmare.' The exchange comes one day after Turkey formally requested that Interpol issue a Red Notice for Netanyahu, escalating a legal and diplomatic confrontation that has been building throughout the week.
The Red Notice request, reported by The Zioneer on Friday, was the latest step in a series of Turkish legal measures triggered by the interception of the World Sumud flotilla in international waters. Earlier on Friday, Turkey had narrowed its Interpol request to focus specifically on Netanyahu, after initially seeking arrest warrants for dozens of Israeli officials. Previous steps included an arrest warrant issued by Turkey for Netanyahu on charges of 'genocide' related to the flotilla. In response to the Red Notice demand, Netanyahu labeled Erdoğan an 'anti-Semitic dictator' and warned that Israel would act if Ankara disrupts regional stability.
The escalation is the latest chapter in a deepening rift between Jerusalem and Ankara. As The Zioneer reported on August 19, Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel had conducted a strike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Syria to send a message to Turkey about its military buildup. Turkey has also been a source of Israeli concern over a potential U.S. sale of F-35 fighter jets, which Israeli security officials warn could undermine Israel's qualitative edge. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has previously stated that Netanyahu would not be arrested in the United States, affirming support for the Israeli leader.
It remains unclear whether Interpol will act on Turkey's request. Red Notices are non-binding and often rejected on political grounds, but the request adds a legal dimension to the bilateral crisis.
8 developments
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