112 Turkish IDF Soldiers Face Genocide Complaints as Arrest Calls Target Soldier in Istanbul

Islamist organizations in Turkey have launched a public campaign calling for the arrest of an IDF soldier who holds Turkish citizenship and is currently in Istanbul, according to a report by Ynet. The campaign includes the circulation of her personal details on social media and calls for Turkish prosecutors to take action against her.

The pressure campaign followed the publication of official IDF data revealing that 112 Turkish citizens are currently serving in the Israeli military. The broader report showed that 50,632 IDF soldiers hold at least one additional citizenship beyond Israeli nationality.

The figures were released in response to a Freedom of Information request filed through the Israeli NGO Hatzlacha and were first reported by the UK-based outlet Declassified. The disclosure quickly drew attention inside Turkey, where Islamist media outlets responded with sharp criticism.

Yeni Akit, a pro-government Islamist daily in Turkey, published an article referring to the 112 Turkish passport holders as “terrorists” and accusing them of participating in genocide. Baran Dergisi, an Islamist Turkish publication, ran a headline stating, “112 Turkish citizen terrorists in the Israeli army participated in genocide.” Opinion pieces in outlets such as Yeni Şafak, Milli Gazete and Haber7 called for stripping those individuals of their Turkish citizenship. Activists have cited Articles 76 and 77 of the Turkish Penal Code, which address genocide and crimes against humanity, in urging authorities to pursue legal action. 

In the case of the soldier currently in Istanbul, social media posts described her as a “Zionist soldier with dual citizenship” and pointed to photos from her public Instagram account showing her in IDF uniform. Campaigners claimed that an investigative file had been opened and called on authorities to prevent her departure from the country.

As of now, no official statement from Turkish prosecutors or government authorities has confirmed that a formal criminal investigation, arrest warrant or travel ban has been issued in the case.

The data has since drawn international attention. On February 15, Al Jazeera published a report examining thousands of Western passport holders serving in Israel’s military, citing the newly disclosed figures and raising questions about potential legal exposure in their home countries.

Calls for prosecution are in line with earlier political efforts in Turkey to take action against Turkish nationals serving in the Israeli military. In 2024, members of an Islamist party proposed legislation that would have stripped citizenship and imposed penalties on Turkish citizens accused of participating in Israeli military operations.

Under Turkish nationality law, serving in a foreign army without state authorization can theoretically trigger citizenship review or revocation proceedings. However, such provisions are rarely enforced in practice and typically require formal administrative steps by the government.

For now, the situation in Turkey appears driven by media rhetoric and activist legal pressure rather than confirmed state action. However, the reaction highlights the potential exposure facing dual-national IDF soldiers abroad, particularly in countries where political tensions surrounding the war remain high.