Mob Chases Israeli-Turkish Woman in Istanbul Mall, Cries 'Terrorist'

A large crowd of pro-Palestinian demonstrators pursued an Israeli-Turkish woman, Claudia Medina, inside a shopping mall in Istanbul, according to social media videos that have gained traction. During the incident, Medina, who promotes tourism between Israel and Turkey, was called a "terrorist" and accused of having children serving in the IDF. This event is the culmination of a smear campaign against her on social media, with extremist Islamist groups identifying her, publicizing her name, and spreading information about her dual Turkish and Israeli citizenship. The video shows Medina attempting to escape the mob but being cornered and harassed. Shouts of "child murderers," "we don't want Zionists in our country," and "Israel murders" were heard. Security personnel and police intervened to restore order. A narrator in the video urged viewers to share the "success" of Medina's removal via social media. Despite the incident, Medina released her own video addressing the public, stating, "I am a local from Istanbul. I was born and raised here. My whole family lives here, and there is a large Jewish community here. I speak Turkish and Hebrew, and yes, I speak Hebrew on the street. But you need to be careful, not everywhere." She also recounted instances of antisemitism and refusal of service due to her Israeli identity. The incident occurs amid heightened security tensions and concerns for Israelis in Turkey. The National Security Council advises Israelis to avoid travel to Turkey, with no direct flights currently operating between the countries, and urges those already there to leave. They also recommend avoiding transit flights through Turkey until further notice.