The Turkish presidency has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using political tactics after Israel called President Recep Tayyip Erdogan an antisemitic dictator.
Ankara stated that the Israeli government was attempting to present Turkey as a new threat to secure an electoral advantage.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, the communications directorate of the Turkish presidency said the attempt by the Netanyahu government to present Turkey as a new threat was part of a petty political maneuver.
The Turkish response followed an earlier statement from the office of Benjamin Netanyahu, which accused Recep Tayyip Erdogan of attempting to extend his confrontation with Israel into Syria.
The Israeli prime minister's office declared that Erdogan was seeking to expand aggression against Israel into Syrian territory and asserted that Israel would not tolerate such actions.
Netanyahu's office also reiterated previous accusations against the Turkish leader, characterising Erdogan as an antisemitic dictator.
Israeli officials further accused Erdogan of mounting attacks against Kurds, harbouring Hamas terrorists, occupying the northern part of Cyprus, and imprisoning large numbers of journalists and political dissidents.
Interpol Red Notice Request
The exchange of accusations followed Turkey's decision to issue international arrest warrants targeting Netanyahu and another Israeli citizen, Afek Moskowitz.
Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gürlek announced on X that his ministry had formally requested the Ministry of Interior to seek Interpol red notices for their arrest.
The legal measures were initiated following a Turkish judicial investigation into the interception by Israeli forces of an international activist flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip.
Gürlek stated that the judicial proceedings related to an attack conducted in international waters against activists aboard the flotilla.
Domestic arrest warrants were originally issued by Turkish authorities on July 14, 2026, alleging genocide against both Netanyahu and Moskowitz.
The Turkish Justice Ministry specified that Netanyahu and Moskowitz face formal prosecution for crimes against humanity, genocide, deprivation of liberty, intentional beatings and injuries, torture, destruction of property, looting, and the hijacking of transport vehicles.
Background to the Conflict
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has served as President of Turkey since 2014, having previously served as Prime Minister. Benjamin Netanyahu has served multiple terms as Prime Minister of Israel. Tensions between the two nations have repeatedly surfaced over regional security and maritime access to the Gaza Strip.
An Interpol red notice is an international request distributed to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition or legal proceedings. Interpol itself is headquartered in Lyon, France, and acts as a coordination body for international police cooperation.
The geopolitical friction between Ankara and Tel Aviv encompasses broader regional disputes across the Middle East and Mediterranean. Syria shares northern borders with Turkey and southern borders with Israel, while the island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, with Turkish forces occupying the northern portion. Hamas is a Palestinian political and militant organisation controlling the Gaza Strip.
Israel Rejects Intimidation Attempts
Responding to the Turkish legal filings, Tel Aviv described the demand for international arrest warrants as a pathetic attempt to intimidate Israeli leaders and soldiers.
The Israeli prime minister's office asserted that Turkey's effort to intimidate the leadership and military of Israel, which it described as the only real democracy in the Middle East, would produce no result.
In a separate official statement, the Israeli government underlined that it would continue to act with determination against any Turkish attempts to destabilise the region or compromise Israel's national security.
