Turkey issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, other Israeli leaders over ‘genocide’ in Gaza

FM Sa’ar says Israel ‘firmly rejects’ the charges, notes same Istanbul prosecutor’s office ‘recently orchestrated the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor merely for daring to run against Erdogan’

Turkey announced Friday that it had issued arrest warrants for alleged genocide against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials in his government over the war in Gaza against Hamas.

The announcement was met with a firm rebuttal from Israel. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel “firmly rejects, with contempt,” the charges, calling them “the latest PR stunt by the tyrant (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan.”

The Istanbul prosecutor’s office said in a statement that a total of 37 suspects were targeted by the arrest warrants, without providing a full list.

They include Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.

Turkey has accused the officials of “genocide and crimes against humanity” that Israel has “perpetrated systematically” in Gaza. Israel has repeatedly rejected claims of genocide as false and antisemitic.

The statement also refers to the “Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital,” built by Turkey in the Gaza Strip and bombed by Israel in March. The Israel Defense Forces said at the time that the facility was being used by Hamas operatives and had “not been used as an active hospital for over a year.”

Turkey, which has been one of the most vocal critics of the war in Gaza and whose leader Erdogan is a longtime supporter of Hamas, last year joined South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice.

A fragile ceasefire has been in force in the devastated territory since October 10 as part of US President Donald Trump’s regional peace plan, after two years of war sparked by the Hamas-led atrocities in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

The Islamist terror group Hamas welcomed Turkey’s announcement, calling it a “commendable measure (confirming) the sincere positions of the Turkish people and their leaders, who are committed to the values of justice, humanity and fraternity that bind them to our oppressed Palestinian people.”

Stabilization force

Sa’ar said in his post in English on the social media platform X that “in Erdogan’s Turkey, the judiciary has long since become a tool for silencing political rivals and detaining journalists, judges and mayors.”

He added that the Istanbul prosecutor’s office “recently orchestrated the arrest of the mayor of Istanbul merely for daring to run against Erdogan,” referring to Ekrem Imamoglu, who was detained in March.

Former foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman wrote on X that the arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials “clearly explain why Turkey should not be present in the Gaza Strip — directly or indirectly.”

Turkey wants to take part in the international stabilization force intended to play a role in post-war Gaza, according to Trump’s plan.

But Ankara’s efforts, which include increasing diplomatic contacts in the region and seeking to influence the pro-Israel stance of the United States, are viewed unfavorably in Israel due to Turkey’s ties with Hamas.

Israeli leaders have repeatedly expressed their opposition to any Turkish participation in the international stabilization force in Gaza.