Turkish police have arrested 33 individuals on suspicion of spying for Israeli intelligence, as reported by TRT Haber. The security operations spanned eight provinces, with the majority of the arrests taking place in Istanbul. The Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office is currently investigating the activities of Israeli intelligence agencies in Turkey.
Arrest warrants were issued for a total of 46 individuals suspected of working for Israeli intelligence. According to Turkish police, these suspects were involved in surveilling foreign nationals in Turkey and allegedly planned to kidnap them.
The arrests of these 33 individuals were carried out across 57 addresses, and the search continues for the remaining 13 suspects.
This operation follows earlier warnings from Turkish officials to Israel regarding the serious consequences of any attempts to target members of the militant group Hamas living outside Palestinian territories, including in Turkey. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned of severe repercussions for such actions. The suspects were believed to be targeting Palestinians living in Turkey, among others, and the operation uncovered significant amounts of foreign currency, digital materials, and an unregistered firearm.
These arrests come in the context of heightened tensions between Turkey and Israel. President Erdogan has been critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies, especially regarding Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Despite these tensions, diplomatic channels and trade relations between Turkey and Israel have remained open.
The relationship between Turkey and Israel has been marked by significant fluctuations over the years. Key events that strained their relationship include the 2008-09 Gaza War and the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid, where Israeli commandos stormed a Turkish aid flotilla bound for the blockaded Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of nine Turkish citizens. This incident led to heightened tensions, with Turkey demanding an apology from Israel, compensation for the victims’ families, and the lifting of the Gaza blockade. Israel apologized for the raid in 2013, which paved the way for normalized relations.
However, the relations faced another setback in December 2017, when Erdoğan threatened to sever ties again, this time over the United States’ recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Despite these challenges, a notable improvement was seen in 2022 when diplomatic ties were reinstated following successful normalization efforts. The visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Turkey in March 2022 marked a significant step in rebuilding the relationship. However, the two countries continue to have differences, especially regarding the Palestinian issue.
