NATO Member State Requests Interpol "Red Notice" Against Netanyahu

Turkey has requested that Interpol issue a "red notice" against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in connection with an ongoing judicial process on charges of "genocide," Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced on Friday, as reported by the Anadolu agency.

The senior official detailed that the case revolves around the prevention of the passage of the Sumud Flotilla last year, which was attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and stated that the investigation continues with determination. Furthermore, he indicated that a criminal court in Istanbul is conducting proceedings against 35 defendants, including Netanyahu.

Gurlek stated that the Israeli Prime Minister and another suspect are being tried for "crimes against humanity," "genocide," "aggravated deprivation of liberty," "intentional injury," "torture," "damage to property," "aggravated robbery," and "hijacking of means of transportation" related to their actions involving the armed intervention in international waters against civilians delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza and the detention of activists.

In this context, he emphasized that Ankara absolutely rejects "the idea that the Netanyahu government, which is carrying out a policy of genocide in Gaza, is untouchable and unaccountable." "We will not allow the crimes committed in Gaza to be covered up, nor will we allow those responsible to be protected by a shield of impunity," he continued, adding that his country will firmly utilize all available means under national and international law.

In April, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office requested aggravated life sentences and prison terms ranging from 1,102 years and 9 months to 4,596 years for Netanyahu and 34 other high-ranking Israeli officials. The case centers on the armed intervention by Israeli security forces in international waters against vessels of the civil maritime organization Sumud Flotilla, which was carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in October of last year. The indictment asserted that attacks on civilians, the destruction of livelihoods, and the obstruction of humanitarian aid cannot be evaluated merely as security measures, but are directly linked to acts constituting genocide and crimes against humanity under international criminal law.