A Turkish-origin Israeli woman who served in the Israeli military has reportedly been deported from Turkey following her detention earlier this year, according to Turkish media reports.
Jessica Bachar moved to Israel around five years ago and travelled to Istanbul in February to visit her family, where she was detained by Turkish police.
She was accused of serving in the Israeli military, a charge that also placed her at the centre of campaigns by pro-Palestinian groups in Turkey who have been identifying Turkish citizens serving in the Israeli armed forces.
Israeli media had previously claimed that, following her detention, the Israeli government came under significant diplomatic pressure, including alleged intervention from the United States, leading to her release and transfer to Israel via what was described as a covert operation.
However, Turkish media now reports a different account, stating that Bachar was deported rather than rescued. According to these reports, she left Turkey on 18 February via Istanbul Airport, and no formal Israeli extraction operation took place.
She has reportedly been banned from re-entering Turkey.
Under Turkish law, serving in a foreign military without state authorisation is a criminal offence, carrying a prison sentence of one to three years. In Israel, military service is mandatory for both men and women.
