Turkish authorities have arrested Liridon Rexhepi, the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency’s financial network in Turkey. The arrest occurred on August 30 in Istanbul, following allegations that Rexhepi was involved in transferring funds on behalf of Mossad.
Rexhepi was formally arrested after admitting to the charges during a court hearing. The Turkish intelligence agency MIT had been tracking him since his arrival in Turkey on August 25. MIT’s investigation revealed that Rexhepi managed significant financial transactions for Mossad through Western Union and cryptocurrency, directing funds to field agents in Turkey and beyond.
Additionally, Rexhepi was involved in drone surveillance and psychological operations targeting Palestinian politicians. Funds were also traced from Kosovo to Syria, showing a complex network of financial and intelligence operations.
Since January, Turkey has detained numerous individuals, including private investigators, for allegedly collecting data for Israeli intelligence. The arrests are part of broader tensions between Turkey and Israel, particularly heightened by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
In response to recent developments, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly criticized Israel, calling for international action and accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Turkey’s relationship with Israel has been strained, with Turkey halting trade and seeking to join South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel.
In a broader context, Turkey and Israel had normalized relations in 2022, but recent events have further strained their ties. Turkey’s actions reflect ongoing geopolitical conflicts and its critical stance on Israeli policies.