Turkey has escalated its legal confrontation with Israel by asking the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a red notice for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over an investigation into the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian-led maritime initiative that sought to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Turkey’s Justice Minister, Akin Gurlek, announced the request on Friday, saying it followed arrest warrants issued by a Turkish court against Netanyahu and other Israeli officials in connection with the case.
Gurlek said the Interior Ministry had been instructed to seek red notices for Netanyahu and Israeli security figure Avik Moskowitz, as Ankara continues criminal proceedings over the interception of the flotilla in international waters.
The request places Netanyahu at the centre of another potentially explosive international legal dispute, with Turkey seeking to use Interpol’s global law-enforcement network to locate and provisionally arrest him if he travels to a country prepared to act on the notice.
A red notice is an international request for police forces in member countries to locate and provisionally arrest a wanted individual pending possible extradition proceedings. It is not, however, an international arrest warrant, and Interpol itself does not have the power to order countries to arrest anyone.
The Turkish judicial proceedings are being conducted before Istanbul’s 11th High Criminal Court, where cases involving 35 defendants are reportedly continuing.
Netanyahu and Moskowitz are among those named in the proceedings.
Turkish authorities have accused the suspects of a wide range of serious offences, including crimes against humanity, genocide, unlawful deprivation of liberty, intentional injury, torture, property damage, aggravated robbery and hijacking.
The allegations centre on the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla and the alleged treatment of activists involved in the humanitarian mission.
Gurlek has defended Turkey’s decision to pursue the case, saying Ankara would not allow alleged crimes connected to the Gaza conflict to go unchallenged.
“We will not allow the crimes committed in Gaza to be covered up or those responsible to be protected by a shield of impunity,” Gurlek said in a statement reported by Al Arabiya.
The latest request follows an earlier Turkish court decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials over allegations linked to Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
Turkey has been one of the strongest critics of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and has repeatedly accused Israeli officials of responsibility for alleged violations against Palestinians.
Israel has rejected the allegations and has consistently disputed accusations that its actions constitute genocide or other international crimes.
The Global Sumud Flotilla was a civilian humanitarian initiative that attempted to reach Gaza by sea with humanitarian assistance. The interception of its vessels subsequently became the subject of legal proceedings in Turkey, with prosecutors continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the operation.
If Interpol accepts Turkey’s request and circulates a red notice, the consequences for Netanyahu could extend beyond the courtroom.
A red notice does not automatically mean that Netanyahu would be arrested in every country he visits. Each country decides what legal effect to give the notice under its own domestic laws.
Nevertheless, the issuance of such a notice could create significant diplomatic and political pressure on governments hosting the Israeli prime minister and potentially complicate his international travel.
The case also adds another layer to the growing international legal battles surrounding the Gaza conflict, as countries, international institutions and domestic courts continue to examine allegations of serious violations.
Turkey’s move is therefore likely to intensify its already bitter dispute with Israel while placing further attention on the legal exposure of Israeli officials over alleged conduct connected to the Gaza war.
For Netanyahu, the issue now extends beyond Turkey’s domestic courts. The prospect of an Interpol red notice could transform the flotilla case into a broader international law-enforcement controversy, even though any arrest or extradition decision would ultimately rest with the authorities and courts of the country where he might be located.
Whether Interpol will act on Turkey’s request remains uncertain. But Ankara’s latest step signals that it intends to continue pursuing the Israeli prime minister and other officials through legal channels over the alleged interception of the Gaza-bound flotilla.