Turkey has formally requested that Interpol issue an international arrest notice for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Turkish officials. The request is part of a domestic criminal case related to Israel's interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla in 2010, which resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish activists.
The Turkish justice ministry submitted the request to Interpol's headquarters in Lyon, France, on [date if verified]. The move follows a decision by a Turkish court to issue an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and other Israeli officials over the incident.
Israeli officials have dismissed the Turkish action as politically motivated and without legal basis. Netanyahu's office has not yet issued an official response, but Israeli media report that the government views the move as a diplomatic provocation.
The 2010 flotilla incident strained relations between Turkey and Israel, leading to a period of diplomatic estrangement. The two countries have since partially normalized ties, but tensions remain over the Palestinian issue.
Interpol's rules require that red notices comply with its constitution, which prohibits interventions of a political, military, religious, or racial character. It is unclear whether Interpol will act on Turkey's request.
