IDF Veteran Detained in Turkey Over Dual Citizenship Freed in Covert Israeli Operation

An Israeli woman holding dual Israeli-Turkish citizenship who served in the IDF has returned to Israel after being detained in Turkey following an Islamist-led public campaign against her. The former soldier was released last Wednesday and flew home via a third country under an Israeli security envelope after quiet diplomatic intervention.

The pressure followed renewed attention inside Turkey to official IDF data disclosing that Turkish citizens serve in Israel’s military. Islamist media outlets responded sharply, and activists cited legal provisions in Turkey addressing crimes against humanity while demanding action against dual-national soldiers.

According to N12, Islamist organizations in Ankara launched a social media campaign about a week and a half ago calling for her arrest. Activists circulated her personal details and photographs from her public Instagram account showing her in IDF uniform. Posts described her as a “Zionist soldier with dual citizenship” and urged Turkish prosecutors to prevent her from leaving the country.

The woman, who had traveled to Ankara to visit her parents, was detained for hours on suspicion of “service in a foreign army.” She was later transferred to house arrest for several days. No Turkish prosecutorial authority publicly confirmed the opening of a formal indictment, arrest warrant or travel ban in her case.

Once news of her detention reached Jerusalem, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar entered the matter immediately. Israel delivered a direct message to Ankara demanding her release. The United States administration intervened at Israel’s request and conducted negotiations, as Israel currently has no representatives operating in Turkey.

The diplomatic effort secured her release last Wednesday. In recent days, she departed Turkey via an unnamed third country. Israeli security officials accompanied the process, and the operation was conducted “under the radar,” according to Israeli reporting.

Israeli officials have warned that dual-national IDF soldiers may face growing exposure in countries where political tensions surrounding the war remain high. Following the October 7 attacks and the subsequent conflict, hostile actors have increasingly attempted to use legal and media campaigns to target Israelis abroad. In Israeli assessments, dual nationals can be viewed as “ripe fruit” in the broader international public struggle.

Although the immediate crisis has ended without publicly confirmed charges, the episode underscores how activist pressure campaigns can quickly escalate into detention and diplomatic confrontation.