Turkey has requested the initiation of the procedure to obtain an arrest warrant from Interpol against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as part of the Turkish investigation into the intervention of the Israeli navy against the Global Sumud Flotilla headed towards Gaza. This was announced by Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek. The proceedings are underway before the 11th Higher Criminal Court in Istanbul and involve 35 defendants, including Netanyahu and Israeli citizen Afek Moscowitz. The arrest warrants against the two were issued on July 14, 2026 on charges of genocide. Now the Ministry of Justice has asked the Ministry of the Interior to activate the procedure to obtain an international report from Interpol.
Turkey’s accusations against Netanyahu
The investigation concerns the intervention of Israeli forces against the Flotilla boats which, last May, attempted to reach Gaza after leaving from the Turkish port of Marmaris. According to Gurlek, the proceedings concern “armed intervention against civilians transporting humanitarian aid to Gaza in international waters and the detention of activists.”
The charges contested by the Turkish prosecutor’s office include, among others, crimes against humanity, genocide, torture, injury, aggravated deprivation of personal liberty, aggravated robbery and hijacking of means of transport. “We will not allow the crimes committed in Gaza to be covered up or those responsible to be protected by a shield of impunity,” the Turkish minister said.
Netanyahu against Erdogan: “anti-Semitic dictator”
Netanyahu’s reply arrived shortly, immediately shifting the conflict to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “Erdogan is an anti-Semitic dictator who massacred the Kurds, shelters Hamas terrorists, occupies half of Cyprus and imprisons a record number of journalists and political opponents. Now he is trying to extend his aggression against Israel into Syria. Israel will not tolerate this,” the Israeli prime minister said in a statement.
Netanyahu concludes by directly attacking Ankara’s judicial initiative: “Erdogan’s pathetic attempt to intimidate the leaders and soldiers of Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East, will not succeed.”
The reference to Syria comes at a time of strong tension between Ankara and Tel Aviv. In recent days, Israel struck the Syrian air base of Abu al-Duhur, claiming that Damascus was ready to allow a greater Turkish military deployment in the area. Turkey instead condemned the Israeli raids as a violation of Syrian sovereignty.
The Flotilla: “Arrest warrant for Netanyahu breaks impunity”
“We welcome any judicial initiative that recognizes the illegality of the actions taken by the Israeli government against the Global Sumud Flotilla and that contributes to breaking impunity that has lasted too long.” This was said by Maria Elena Delia, Italian spokesperson for the Global Sumud Flotilla, regarding the arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu issued by Türkiye. “What we have suffered – attacks, illegal interceptions in international waters, seizures of boats, arrests and violence – is serious and must have consequences at the level of international justice”, added Delia.
For Maria Elena Delia “it is essential to remember that the Flotilla affair cannot be separated from the context in which it occurred: what was done against us – she underlines – adds to years of systematic violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, of the occupation and of the illegal blockade imposed on Gaza. Our mission was born precisely to denounce this impunity. For this reason – she concludes – every step towards ascertaining responsibility is important, as long as Gaza and the rights of the Palestinian people remain at the centre”.