Turkey seeks arrest warrant for Netanyahu as Israel blasts Erdoğan as 'antisemitic dictator'

Turkey announced Friday that it will seek an international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged “genocide” in the Gaza war.

Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said on social media that Ankara had issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and another “suspect” on charges including “crimes against humanity” and “genocide,” and that the government had requested an Interpol red notice for their international arrest.

“A request has been made to our Ministry of Interior for the issuance of a red notice at the international level for their search, and the relevant documents have been forwarded to our Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Gurlek wrote.

The case stems from Turkey’s investigation into Israel’s interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla earlier this year. Israel has rejected Turkey’s accusations and broader allegations of “genocide” in Gaza, maintaining that it is conducting a legal war of self-defense against Hamas, the Iranian-backed terrorist organization that deliberately operates among Gaza’s civilian population.

Netanyahu’s office in Jerusalem (PMO) responded by calling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan an “antisemitic dictator,” marking a new low in already strained relations between the two countries.

The PMO said in a statement: “Erdogan is an antisemitic dictator who has massacred Kurds, harbors Hamas terrorists, occupies half of Cyprus, and jails record numbers of journalists and politicians who oppose him. He now seeks to extend his aggression against Israel into Syria. Israel will not tolerate it."

The PMO added: “Erdogan’s pathetic attempt to intimidate the leaders and soldiers of Israel, the only true democracy in the Middle East, will go nowhere.”

The latest escalation comes only days after the Israeli Air Force struck the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Syria. Israel said it had received intelligence that Turkey was preparing to increase its military presence in Syria, which Jerusalem views as a threat to its national security. Turkey denied that it intended to deploy additional troops in Syria but has developed close ties with the regime of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Following the strike, Israel warned Turkey against what it called “dangerous adventures” in Syria. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on social media that Erdoğan was “dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria. Israel will not allow any actor to threaten its security.”

“He would be better off continuing to deliver empty, fantastical speeches against Israel in the Turkish parliament rather than testing Israel’s determination to defend itself,” Katz warned.

The Turkish Defense Ministry responded by vowing to continue supporting Syria’s efforts to develop its military capabilities.

“It is essential for the peace and stability of both Syria and the region that Israel ceases such reckless attacks and complies with the requirements of international law,” the Turkish ministry stated.

Netanyahu stressed that Israel had warned Turkey before the strike on the Syrian air base.

“We made it clear to Turkey: Don’t,” the Israeli prime minister said Wednesday. “Apparently they didn’t hear the message, so we made sure they understood it better,” Netanyahu added.

Turkey has emerged as one of Israel’s harshest critics since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, in which 1,200 people were murdered and 251 others were taken hostage. The Turkish government, which maintains close ties with Hamas, has repeatedly refused to condemn the atrocities committed against Israeli civilians.

Last month, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan crossed the line from criticism to antisemitism by describing Israel as “a burden humanity can’t bear.”

In March 2024, Erdoğan also denied that Hamas is a terrorist organization, despite its designation as a terrorist organization by the United States and other countries. He has repeatedly compared Netanyahu to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

The Turkish leader has also threatened to invade Israel. In July 2024, Erdoğan threatened to intervene militarily in Israel, saying Turkey could “enter” the country as it had previously done in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh.