Netanyahu and Erdogan trade insults as Ankara seeks warrant for Israel's attacks on Global Sumud Flotilla activists.

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.

  • itsjustachairmary@lemmy.worldEnglish
    161·
    2 hours ago

    Turkish elections are coming up. They won’t risk their NATO membership so this is just bluster from an autocratic regime.

    • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      101·
      1 hour ago

      Sometimes awful people do the right thing for their own awful reasons.

      Doesn’t stop it from being the right thing.

      • itsjustachairmary@lemmy.worldEnglish
        5·
        41 minutes ago

        It’s the right thing

        But don’t expect someone like Erdogan of all people to suddenly do the right thing. At least I’m not getting my hopes up you know. Erdogan is a bastard too.

        • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          6·
          34 minutes ago

          Yeah, totally with you on the fact that Erdogan is a bastard and a tyrant who doesn’t deserve any praise or trust for doing the right thing only when it suits his own selfish ends.

          That doesn’t stop issuing domestic arrest warrants on war criminals and asking for international ones from objectively and unambiguously being the right thing, though.

        • WanderingThoughts@europe.pubEnglish
          2·
          31 minutes ago

          Erdogan sees Israel as competition in the region and a threat to Turkey’s security. He’s not in it to do the right thing.

    • wicked@programming.devEnglish
      2·
      30 minutes ago

      This doesn’t risk their NATO membership at all. Why would it? They’re an important strategic ally. Jailing a genocidal war criminal wouldn’t change that much. The US might even support using him as a fall guy if that keeps popular support for Israel as a state.