Turkish parliament will debate bill to strip citizenship from Turks serving in IDF

The Turkish parliament has agreed to debate a bill proposed by the Islamist Free Cause Party (HÜDA-PAR) that aims to revoke the citizenship of Turkish nationals who have served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and allegedly participated in war crimes in Gaza, Turkish media reported on Wednesday.

The bill, which has garnered significant attention and support, seeks to address involvement in what it describes as genocidal actions.

The proposed legislation would not only strip these individuals of their Turkish citizenship but also confiscate their assets in Turkey. The bill stipulates that those who do not return to Turkey within three months of a call to do so would lose their citizenship, and their property would be seized.

The bill’s approval for debate in the Turkish parliament follows support from several political parties, including the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Islamist opposition Felicity Party (SP), the nationalist opposition Good (İYİ) Party, the Future Party (GP) and the Islamist New Welfare Party (YRP). This coalition’s backing has propelled the proposal past initial procedural hurdles, despite opposition from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA), which expressed concerns over the bill’s implications and the lack of solid evidence.

CHP group deputy chairman Murat Emir criticized the bill, saying it relies on unsubstantiated claims. In contrast HÜDA-PAR youth branch chairman Hamdullah Er emphasized the importance of addressing alleged war crimes, accusing the CHP of exploiting the situation for political gain.

HÜDA-PAR’s leader, Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu, highlighted reports of thousands of Turkish nationals participating in the Gaza conflict alongside Israeli forces, labeling them as perpetrators of genocide. He argued that such individuals must face justice in Turkey, given the country’s commitments under international law, specifically the Genocide Convention, which Turkey ratified in 1950.

Yapıcıoğlu stressed the necessity for the Turkish parliament to have the authority to initiate investigations into war crimes, a power currently reserved for the Ministry of Justice. He contended that political considerations often impede justice when left solely to the executive branch.

The debate over this bill comes as anti-Israel sentiment has been running high in Turkey since Israel began pounding Gaza in retaliation for an unprecedented attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the south of Israel on October 7, 2023, which claimed around 1,200 lives and resulted in the taking of some 250 hostages. The death toll in Gaza, in the meantime, has exceeded 38,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

This legislative move by HÜDA-PAR aligns with its longstanding stance against Israel and its actions in Gaza. The party’s alliance with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling AKP has bolstered its influence in the Turkish parliament.