Israel Holds Turkish Woman on Suspicion of Security Offenses

A Turkish woman is under arrest in Israel on suspicion of security offenses, an Israeli official said on Thursday.

The 27-year-old is “suspected of endangering national security and contacts with terrorist organizations,” the official told Reuters.

The official declined to elaborate on the circumstances of the woman’s arrest, or whether she had been assigned a lawyer ahead of any court proceedings.

Turkish Anadolu Agency quoted a lawyer for the woman as saying she was suspected of affiliation with a terrorist organization. The report said the woman was arrested by Israeli police at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.

Relations between Israel and Turkey have often been tense in the past few years.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has been a vocal critic of Israel’s policy toward the Palestinians, an issue that resonates with many Turks, including the nationalist and religious voters who form the base of his support. Turkey holds an election on June 24.