Turkey Issues Own Arrest Warrant For Netanyahu, Pushing Israel Relations To Breaking Point

Despite the US-backed ceasefire in Gaza having held for weeks at this point, Turkey is once again lashing out at Israel, and appears ready to push official relations to breaking point.

Turkey has long supported the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrants against top Israeli officials, but has this week issued warrants of its own, including seeking the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 36 others on charges of genocide.

Named alongside Netanyahu are Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir, and Navy Commander David Saar Salama in the Turkish government arrest warrants. Ankara is further seeking to oblige European states to arrest them.

Given years of ratcheting tensions between the two countries, it was extremely unlikely that Israeli leaders would ever travel to Turkey anyway, but this will continue to also cause problems and create pressures for regular Israeli tourists.

Istanbul Bar Association Chair Yasin Şamlı has denounced what he called the “terror structure of Israel” and highlighted the many countries in the region, including Iran and Qatar, who have endured acts of recent aggression from Israel.

In reference to the killing of 5-year-old Hind Rajab, he stated: ”This act proves to the world that Israel is committing open genocide. Israel kills children out of fear. There is no innocent person it refrains from targeting. Israel poses a danger to all humanity.”

“Today, we have filed a new complaint regarding the killing of Hind Rajab, the bombing of the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, and the crimes committed against members of the Global Sumud Fleet,” Şamlı continued.

But Turkey has long expressed support to Hamas leadership, as Israel has consistently pointed out. Netanyahu has denounced Ankara time and again for providing safe-haven to Hamas officials in Turkey.

At times, the Turkish government has accused Israel intelligence agency Mossad of conducting covert operations inside Turkey – which seems a likely scenario given the long-established Hamas presence.

NEW – Turkey issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and 36 Israeli officials for alleged “Genocide” and “Crimes Against Humanity” committed in Gaza, Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. pic.twitter.com/hNeLkXon8p

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Turkey acts in a way similar to Qatar – on the one hand seeking to present itself as a ‘neutral’ mediator on the Palestinian issue, but simultaneously supporting hardline Islamist groups like Hamas in Gaza, and AQ-linked fighters in Syria.