Turkiye accuses Israel’s Netanyahu of ‘genocide’, seeks Interpol warrant 

Turkiye has sought an international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of “genocide” for Israel’s attack in May on activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla for Gaza.

In a post on X on Friday, Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said arrest warrants had been issued on July 14 for Netanyahu and another suspect. Charges included genocide, crimes against humanity and torture, as part of a case against 35 people over the Israeli interception in international waters.

“In line with the arrest warrants issued against Benjamin Netanyahu … our justice ministry has requested that ⁠the interior ministry issue [Interpol] red notices for them so that they may be sought ⁠internationally,” Gurlek said.

Turkiye will use all available legal mechanisms to ensure Israel is held accountable for its crimes in Gaza, he added.

NATO member Turkiye has been one of the fiercest critics of Israel’s genocidal war ⁠on Gaza and has previously issued domestic arrest warrants for Netanyahu over its attacks.

Turkiye has also repeatedly called for international measures against Israel for what Ankara calls its violations of human rights and international law. Israel denies those charges.

In May, Israeli forces fired on at least two vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla sailing towards ‌Gaza. It was making a renewed attempt to deliver aid to the enclave after earlier missions were intercepted by the Israeli military in international waters.

Israel’s interception of the flotilla provoked international outcry. France, Italy and Australia have also launched judicial proceedings.

About 50 vessels were in the Global Sumud Flotilla that left Turkiye in May heading for the besieged Palestinian territory. The activists were detained in the Mediterranean by the Israeli military and then taken to an Israeli prison before being deported.

Israel’s far right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir caused outrage at the time by releasing a video of himself angrily provoking flotilla activists who were on their knees with their hands tied behind their backs.

“We will not allow the crimes committed in Gaza to be covered up or those responsible to be protected by a shield of impunity,” Gurlek said. “We will resolutely use all means available under national and international law.”

Asked about Gurlek’s statement, Netanyahu’s office said: “[Turkish President] Erdogan’s pathetic attempt to intimidate ⁠the leaders and soldiers of Israel, the only true democracy in the ⁠Middle East, will go nowhere.”

His office accused Erdogan of being “antisemitic” and vowed that Israel would “continue to act forcefully against Turkiye’s attempts to destabilise the region”.

Soon after, in a post on X, Erdogan’s office denounced Netanyahu’s “petty political tactics” and condemned what it called the Israeli government’s attempt “to present Turkiye as a new threat”.