Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the Justice Ministry’s International Law Department to prepare a legal case against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the International Criminal Court (ICC). The case is reportedly intended to address Turkey’s treatment of its Kurdish minority and its support for Hamas, including the presence of Hamas operatives based in Turkey. While neither Israel nor Turkey is a party to the ICC’s Rome Statute, which limits the court’s jurisdiction over both countries, the move is seen by observers as a symbolic countermeasure following Turkey’s efforts to secure an Interpol red notice aimed at Netanyahu’s arrest.
This legal action marks a departure from Israel’s previous approaches, as it is the first time Jerusalem has sought to leverage concerns over Turkey’s Kurdish policies to apply pressure on Ankara. Israeli officials have commented on these issues before, but this is the first concrete attempt to translate those concerns into legal proceedings. The initiative has been welcomed by some Turkish-born Kurds who view it as a positive step in highlighting their community’s struggles.
The development comes amid a broader pattern of escalating tensions between Israel and Turkey, spanning multiple regional arenas including Syria, the eastern Mediterranean, Jerusalem and the West Bank, as well as the Red Sea and Horn of Africa. Analysts note that both countries have conflicting strategic ambitions in each of these areas, with Turkey pursuing an assertive regional role rooted in a blend of neo-Ottoman nationalism and Sunni political Islam, often at odds with Israeli interests.
In Syria, for example, Turkey has played a significant role in backing the current regime in Damascus, providing military support to rebuild Syrian air defenses—actions that have raised Israeli concerns over its operational freedom in Syrian airspace, especially in light of Iran’s presence. Israel’s August 18 airstrike on Abu Duhur Air Force Base underscored its resolve to enforce red lines in this volatile theater. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently labeled Israel as the “greatest potential threat to Syria’s stability” and announced that Erdogan would soon visit Damascus.
The eastern Mediterranean also reflects competing Israeli and Turkish claims. Ankara’s 2019 maritime agreement with Libya, which delineates an exclusive economic zone at the expense of Greek island maritime rights, conflicts with Israel’s and Greece’s plans to exploit offshore gas reserves and develop regional energy infrastructure, such as a proposed power cable linking Israel, Cyprus, and Greece. Turkey’s defense ministry has warned against uncoordinated activities, emphasizing its monitoring of military developments in Cyprus.
Further tensions arise in the West Bank and Jerusalem, where Turkey maintains an active Hamas office in Istanbul accused by Israel of facilitating operational activities in the Palestinian territories. Additionally, Israel is wary of Turkish-funded institutions affiliated with Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, supported through the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), which are perceived as efforts to expand Turkish influence across key Palestinian areas, including Gaza and Lebanon.
In the Red Sea and Horn of Africa, Israel and Turkey back rival local forces amid shifting regional dynamics. Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland and plans to establish a military base there aim to counter Houthi activity near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Conversely, Turkey opposes Somaliland’s independence and holds a significant military training presence in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, where it has also entered into agreements for offshore oil and gas exploration.
The growing rivalry between Israel and Turkey reflects a larger transformation in Middle Eastern geopolitics, marked by the weakening of Iran-led alliances and diminishing U.S. influence. Within this changing environment, regional powers like Turkey are leveraging religious and ideological affiliations, including Sunni political Islam, to advance their interests. Opposition to Israel features prominently in Turkey’s regional strategy, signaling that further friction between the two countries is likely.