Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructs an interministerial team to prepare a potential legal case against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to reports. Multiple outlets say the effort is intended to support possible action by Israel, potentially using international legal avenues.
The move comes as relations between Israel and Turkey remain highly strained. Reports link the decision to Erdogan’s announcement that Turkey has requested Interpol issue a red notice for Netanyahu, and to the International Criminal Court’s 2024 arrest warrant for Netanyahu over alleged crimes in Gaza. The proposed case, as described by outlets, would focus on Israel’s allegations about Erdogan’s government’s treatment of Kurdish groups and alleged links or support involving Hamas.
Outlets also frame the broader political context differently. One source emphasizes human-rights criticism of Turkey’s Kurdish policy over decades and notes mutual legal steps between the two countries. Another highlights the possibility that Israel could file through a third party, use the case to apply pressure, and the timing after Netanyahu’s UN remarks calling Erdogan a “tyrant.” Turkish officials respond by dismissing Netanyahu’s claims and accusing Israel of ongoing abuses.
