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Sir Afilonius Rex and Selina Hughes

Bloomsbury, London – 8th November 2025

A Thoughtful Engagement with Your Perspective on Recent Developments

Dear Mansoor Hussain Laghari,

Thank you for sharing your post. It’s clear from your background as a US Army veteran, filmmaker, and human rights activist that your words come from a place of deep personal conviction and a commitment to standing against what you see as injustice. As a Muslim Zionist, your unique voice adds an important layer to conversations about antisemitism, extremism, and the complexities of the Middle East. I appreciate how you’ve framed this as a call for truth and accountability, especially amid such painful events like October 7th and the ongoing hostage crisis. That said, while I respect your intent to highlight perceived hypocrisy, I believe a more balanced examination of the facts could strengthen the discourse and foster greater understanding on all sides. Allow me to offer some gentle reflections, drawing on recent reports, to invite further dialogue.

On the Arrest Warrants: A Legal Step, Not Just “Theatre”

You describe the Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office’s issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 36 other officials as “geopolitical theatre” rather than justice. It’s understandable to view it through that lens, given Turkey’s vocal criticism of Israel and the timing amid fragile ceasefires. However, these warrants, issued on November 7, 2025, for alleged genocide and crimes against humanity in Gaza, align with broader international legal processes. For instance, the International Criminal Court (ICC) sought warrants for Netanyahu and others as early as May 2024. It issued them in November 2024, citing similar concerns like the targeting of civilians and aid restrictions.

Turkey’s action, while symbolic in enforcement (as Israel isn’t bound by Turkish courts), echoes South Africa’s ICJ case, which Turkey joined in 2024, and reflects a growing global scrutiny of actions on both sides of the conflict.

Dismissing it outright as insincere might overlook how such moves, imperfect as they are, aim to uphold international humanitarian law, a principle that could equally apply to accountability for Hamas leaders.

Trade Relations: Acknowledging the Realities of Geopolitics

Your point about Turkey’s economy benefiting from trade with Israel is a fair one to raise in discussions of consistency.

Indeed, despite Turkey’s official trade ban announced in May 2024, UN Comtrade data show that Turkey remained Israel’s fifth-largest exporter in 2024, with $2.86 billion in goods (often rerouted via third countries, such as Greece). This does highlight the challenges of fully decoupling in an interconnected global economy, where practical needs (e.g., energy or goods) can complicate principled stances. At the same time, trade volumes dropped significantly after October 2023, exports fell by 30% and imports by 43% by early 2024, suggesting genuine efforts to align policy with rhetoric, even if gaps persist.

Perhaps this tension underscores a broader truth: No nation, including Israel or its allies, operates in a vacuum free of economic trade-offs.

Sanctions Evasion: A Shared Global Challenge

The reference to Turkey keeping ports open for Russian sanctions evasion is well-noted and draws attention to a legitimate concern in international relations. Reports from 2023 onward, including from the US Treasury and Wall Street Journal, have indeed spotlighted Turkish shipping firms and ports (like Tuzla) facilitating “ghost fleet” operations for Russian oil and dual-use goods, leading to US sanctions on several entities. This has strained NATO ties and raised questions about the effectiveness of enforcement. That said, it’s worth noting that sanctions evasion is a widespread issue—Russia’s “shadow fleet” involves networks across multiple countries (e.g., UAE, India), and even Western allies have faced similar scrutiny.

Framing it solely as an Erdoğan “regime” tactic might simplify a complex web of private-sector opportunism and geopolitical balancing (e.g., Turkey’s NATO role vs. its energy dependencies). A fuller picture could emphasise collaborative reforms, as the US has urged, to address it multilaterally.

Accountability for All: The Case for Warrants on Hamas Leaders

Your frustration with the lack of focus on Hamas, especially the 1,139 lives lost on October 7th, the freed leaders who operated for years, and the enduring hostage ordeal, is profoundly valid and heartbreaking.

Note: Recent tallies confirm around 1,200 Israeli deaths, including civilians and security forces.) It’s a stark reminder that true justice must be even-handed. Encouragingly, the ICC has pursued warrants for Hamas figures: Requests in May 2024 targeted Qatar-based leader Ismail Haniyeh (killed in 2024), Yahya Sinwar, and Mohammed Deif for war crimes like murder and hostage-taking, with warrants issued for Deif before his death. Qatar, as host to some leaders, faces its own pressures (e.g., recent ICC meetings following the strikes), but enforcement remains elusive due to non-cooperation.

Israel, as “the only democracy in the Middle East,” has a strong case for defending against terrorism. Yet, the post’s emphasis on one side’s hypocrisy could be enriched by equally amplifying calls for Hamas accountability, perhaps through unified international pressure on enablers like Iran or Qatar.

A Call for Broader Humanity

In closing, your hashtags (#StandWithIsrael, , ) resonate as a plea for moral clarity, and I share your resolve against antisemitism and terror. History will remember those who stood firm, but it also honours those who bridge divides with nuance, recognising suffering on all fronts—from Gaza’s civilians to Israeli families. This post, while passionate, risks deepening polarisation by sidelining the human cost of Israel’s response (over 40,000 Palestinian deaths reported by Gaza health authorities, per UN figures) and the legal symmetry in pursuits like the ICC’s. What if we channelled this energy into advocating for dual accountability, warrants pursued globally, hostages freed, and a ceasefire that endures?

I’d genuinely value your thoughts as a storyteller and activist: How might films or campaigns highlight these shared truths? Let’s keep the conversation open, after all, as you note, for everyone.

Best regards,

Afilonius & Selina