An IDF soldier who also holds Turkish citizenship is facing calls for her arrest in Turkey after Islamist groups in Ankara launched a public campaign against her, publishing her personal information online and urging authorities to detain her.
The soldier, who is currently in Istanbul, became the focus of the campaign following the release of an IDF report showing that thousands of IDF soldiers hold dual citizenship, including some with Turkish passports.
An Islamist group attempts to expose the identities of IDF soldiers with Turkish citizenship
In recent days, posts circulating on Turkish social media under the headline “Urgent” described her as a “Zionist soldier with dual citizenship” staying in Istanbul. The posts cited images previously shared on her public Instagram account that they said demonstrated her service in the IDF and support for Israel’s military operations since Oct. 7, 2023.
The campaign called on Turkish law enforcement authorities to take immediate action against her and referenced what it described as an investigative file allegedly opened at the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. The complaint urges prosecutors to examine the case under Articles 76 and 77 of Turkey’s penal code, which address genocide and crimes against humanity.
The messages also included harsh rhetoric directed at dual nationals serving in the Israeli military, calling to “expose each and every one of them” and bring them to justice.
The controversy intensified after the IDF released data on dual citizens in response to a freedom of information request. According to the report, 112 Israeli soldiers currently serving in the military also hold Turkish citizenship. The figure drew angry reactions from some political figures and civil society groups in Ankara.
The broader IDF report detailed the distribution of foreign citizenships among service members. It found that 50,632 soldiers hold at least one additional citizenship beyond their Israeli nationality. Of those, 4,440 have two foreign citizenships, and 162 hold three additional citizenships alongside their Israeli one.