A female former IDF soldier with dual Israeli-Turkish citizenship was detained in Turkey last week under criminal charges and was later released following US diplomatic intervention, according to a report by N12.
The soldier was in the country visiting her parents, who reside there, and was arrested under claims of violating a law in Turkey that prohibits citizens of the country from serving in foreign armies. She spent a few hours in a Turkish detention center and was later transferred to house arrest.
Islamist campaign targets 'Zionist army'
The arrest came amid a campaign by Islamist activists that began following a report by the IDF that disclosed the number of foreign nationals serving in its ranks by country, Ynet reported.
The movement, which targets female IDF soldiers with dual citizenship, involves publishing the identities of several soldiers, accusing them of serving in what they call the “Zionist army,” detailing their units and, in some cases, criticizing their families.
After learning the former soldier was in Istanbul, Turkish activists created a social media post identifying her as a “Zionist soldier with dual citizenship” and called upon Turkish law enforcement authorities to arrest her immediately.
The posts referenced a case opened by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and urged authorities to examine the matter, citing Turkish criminal law related to genocide and crimes against humanity.
At Israel’s request, the US secured the release of the woman with the help of the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa'ar. She has since returned to Israel.