Turkey requests 'red notice' be issued against Netanyahu 'at international level'

The request announced by Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gürlek follows an IDF strike on the Abu al-Duhur military airfield in northwestern Syria's Idlib province on Tuesday.

Turkey requested on Friday that the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) issue a "red notice" against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 35 other Israeli officials on charges including genocide, according to an X/Twitter post by Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gürlek.

"We categorically reject the notion that the Netanyahu administration, which is implementing a genocide policy in Gaza, is untouchable and unaccountable," said Gürlek. "We will not allow the crimes committed in Gaza to be covered up or the perpetrators to be shielded by impunity. We will resolutely utilize all possibilities of national and international law."

"We will continue to stand firmly by the side of the Palestinian people, the oppressed, and the conscience of humanity," Gürlek added. "We will take all necessary steps with determination to ensure that those who commit crimes against humanity are held accountable before the law."

According to Interpol's website, a "red notice" is a request to worldwide law enforcement agencies to find and potentially arrest an individual "pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action," noting that it is ultimately the local agency's choice whether to arrest the wanted individual.

Request follows Turkey's April indictments against Netanyahu, other Israeli officials

Turkey originally indicted Netanyahu and the other 35 Israeli officials in April over the naval interception of the October 2025 “Sumud” Gaza flotilla, seeking sentences of up to 4,596 years in prison, Turkish media reported at the time.

The initial arrest warrant was issued by Turkey in November following Israel's detention of over 400 of the flotilla's participants, including anti-Israel and climate activist Greta Thunberg, before deporting them shortly after.

The request announced by Gürlek follows an IDF strike on the Abu al-Duhur military airfield in northwestern Syria's Idlib province on Tuesday, with a souce telling The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday that the strikes were necessary to avoid a clash between Israeli and Turkish forces.

Turkey: Forces in Syria posed no threat to Israel

Ankara rejected Israel's allegations that the Turkish forces posed a threat to the country's security, saying they are "intended to legitimize Israel’s unlawful airstrikes targeting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

“Turkey will resolutely continue to cooperate with the Syrian Government on a legitimate basis for the establishment of ‌peace, stability, ⁠and prosperity in Syria, and will never allow the destabilization of Syria,” Turkey’s Presidency said on X.