A former IDF female soldier who also holds Turkish citizenship was detained in Turkey last week while visiting her parents and was later released after U.S. diplomatic intervention, officials said.
The woman was held for several hours upon arrival and then placed under house arrest. She was released on Wednesday and has since returned to Israel. The United States handled efforts to secure her release, as Israel currently has no diplomatic representation in Turkey.
The detention came amid a campaign by Islamist activists in Turkey targeting female IDF soldiers with dual citizenship. The activists have recently published 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.
The campaign began after the IDF disclosed figures on the number of foreign nationals serving in its ranks by country.
In posts circulating on social media under the headline “Urgent,” activists identified the woman as a “Zionist soldier with dual citizenship” and called on Turkish law enforcement authorities to act against her immediately after learning she was in Istanbul.
The posts referenced what they described as a case opened by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and urged authorities to examine the matter under provisions of Turkish criminal law related to genocide and crimes against humanity.
It was not immediately clear whether formal charges were filed. Turkish authorities have not publicly commented on the case.