A Jewish citizen of Turkey has been arrested after visiting Israel last month, the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) reported.
Umut Ataseven, 29, worked as a visa/passport officer for Turkish Airlines at Istanbul Airport. He visited Israel as a tourist from April 6-12. During his visit, Ataseven posted a photograph on social media of himself and an Israeli flag in Tel Aviv.
The photograph led to accusations on X that Ataseven was an Israeli citizen, an IDF soldier, and that he was actively participating in the alleged "genocide" in Gaza.
He was fired from Turkish Airlines as soon as he returned to Turkey and was arrested several hours later. He was later released, but still faces prosecution and has to report to a police station twice a week. He is also banned from leaving Turkey.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has moved the country in an increasingly Islamist and authoritarian direction in recent years. Following the October 7 massacre, he has sided with the Hamas terrorist organization that committed the massacre, frequently attacking Israel for responding to Hamas's attack and accusing the Jewish State of "genocide."