Jessica Becher, an Israeli-Turkish citizen, was taken to Israel following diplomatic intervention after being detained in Istanbul while visiting her family.
The editorial staff reports, citing The Jerusalem Post, that 28-year-old Becher was detained after returning to Turkey to see her parents. According to reports, her release was made possible after pressure from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and intervention by US officials.
The Jerusalem Post writes that Becher moved from Turkey to Israel at the age of 17 and subsequently served in the Israel Defense Forces. IDF is the English abbreviation for Israel Defense Forces and refers to the country's army.
According to reports, some Islamist groups in Turkey launched a social media campaign in February demanding Becher's detention, citing her service in the Israeli army. These groups disseminated photos and videos of her in military uniform.
According to The Jerusalem Post, during the campaign, Becher's and her family's personal information, including her parents' address, was also published. This process is called doxxing. Doxxing means the dissemination of a person's private information online without their consent.
Approximately two weeks later, Turkish authorities detained Becher on suspicion of “serving in a foreign army.” According to The Jerusalem Post, the complaint regarding the detention was filed with reference to Article 76 of the Turkish Penal Code, which is related to the crime of genocide.
According to N12 News, Becher was released after diplomatic intervention and taken to Israel via a third country under Israeli security escort. The country through which the flight was carried out has not been disclosed.
The incident coincides with a period of increasing social media campaigns in Turkey against dual citizens who have served in the Israeli army. The Jerusalem Post writes that similar campaigns target individuals with Israeli citizenship in Turkey.
The issue occurred against a backdrop of strained relations between Ankara and Tel Aviv. Turkey harshly criticizes Israel regarding the Gaza war, while the Israeli side expresses concern about the safety of Israeli citizens in Turkey.
The incident also brought to the forefront the issues of dual citizenship, service in a foreign army, and political campaigns turning into personal security risks. Becher's detention shows that the military-political tension in the Middle East now directly affects the travel and security risks of individuals.