"Systematic Policy": How Turkey Targets IDF Soldiers

The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism revealed on Wednesday new studies showing how Turkey is turning antisemitism into a tool of political pressure against Israel, aiming to incriminate Israeli soldiers on false claims of committing "war crimes."

The research reveals that organizations such as WOLAS and Freedom Watch Platform, which appear to be "civil society" groups, operate advanced OSINT systems to locate IDF soldiers and citizens with dual citizenship. These operations are conducted with the knowledge of the Turkish government.

"In recent years, Turkey has established a state mechanism where antisemitism, delegitimization, and legal warfare against Israelis are carried out with high intensity as part of a systematic policy dictated by the country's leadership," the Ministry stated. The findings indicate that this mechanism is deeply rooted, spanning from the education and religious systems to organizations operating internationally against IDF soldiers and Israeli citizens.

Operational Methods

The report highlights the concerning methodology of the Freedom Watch Platform. Activists use open-source intelligence to locate Israelis who hold Turkish citizenship and served in the IDF. The organization monitors social media followers and posts, focusing on pages identified with the Jewish community in Turkey. Once a "target" is identified, the organization maps their family and social ties, analyzes photos for military insignia or unit affiliation, and subsequently publishes the data while simultaneously filing legal complaints through attorneys in Turkey.

The report presents a case study from February 2026 involving a former female soldier with Israeli-Turkish citizenship. Activists tracked her through social media posts, including one published by her mother on the day of her enlistment. After analyzing her photos to confirm her military service, they mapped her family members and filed a formal complaint.

Institutionalized Hostility

Freedom Watch Platform originated from field protests at the Istanbul port in 2024 regarding aid shipments to the Gaza Strip. Over time, the platform shifted its focus from delegitimizing the State of Israel and Israeli companies to targeting individual Israeli citizens.

Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli stated: "Turkey, under the dictatorial and Islamist regime of Erdogan, acts with all the tools at its disposal to harm the State of Israel. Israel must cut all ties with the Erdogan regime and recognize that we must prepare for wild antisemitic incitement within the Turkish education system and leadership."