Türkiye said on Friday it would seek an Interpol red notice for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of a domestic criminal case linked to an attack on activists seeking to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
NATO member Türkiye has been one of the fiercest critics of Israel’s assault on Gaza and has previously issued domestic arrest warrants for Netanyahu over the war there. It has repeatedly called for international measures against Israel over what Ankara calls its violations of human rights and international law. Israel denies those charges.
In May, Israeli forces opened fire on at least two vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla sailing towards Gaza as it was making a renewed attempt to deliver aid to the enclave after earlier missions were intercepted by Israel in international waters.
In a post on X, Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said arrest warrants had been issued for Netanyahu and another suspect on charges that 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.
Türkiye will use all available legal mechanisms to ensure Israel is held accountable for its crimes in Gaza, he added.
A red notice is a request to police forces worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition.
Interpol reviews requests submitted by member states before deciding whether to issue red notices.
