An Israeli woman has been detained in Istanbul for over 10 days on suspicion of insulting the Turkish flag, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the “State of Palestine.” The woman was arrested in the city's Taksim Square, and images circulated on Turkish social media show a police officer escorting her. She was taken to a police station in Istanbul, where she remains in custody.
According to available information, the woman was traveling alone in Turkey. Her family is aware of the situation, and behind-the-scenes efforts are underway to resolve the matter swiftly. In photos shared online, the woman is seen wearing a short-sleeved shirt and flip-flops—despite Istanbul’s frigid January weather.
The arrest comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Turkey, following Ankara’s sharp criticism of Jerusalem over the ongoing war in Gaza. However, in an interview with Qatar’s Al Jazeera on Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan struck a surprising tone, stating that Turkey would resume trade ties with Israel once the war in Gaza ends and humanitarian aid is allowed into the Strip.
Responding to a question about the possibility of normalizing relations, Fidan said: “The rupture in relations is not structural, but conditional.”
“When we entered this current phase in relations between Turkey and Israel and suspended trade, we made it clear that as long as the war continues and aid is not allowed in, trade would not resume,” he said. “This shows that our issue is not with Israel per se, but with Israeli policy—particularly toward the Palestinians and the current genocidal approach in Gaza. The boycott is not structural but conditional.”