Israeli military's Turk-stabbing ex-gangster spokesman runs new Turkish service
The Israeli military launched a Turkish-language X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, using Arye Sharuz Shalicar as its spokesperson.
Shalicar, a senior Israeli military official, has a controversial past, having been involved in gang activity in Germany, including an incident where he stabbed a Turkish rival.
“Welcome to the official X account of the Israel Defense Forces! This platform will be used to provide reliable and instant updates on developments regarding the IDF,” Shalicar announced. The decision to open a Turkish-language channel comes as Turkey has emerged as a key player in Syria following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government.
Israel is reportedly concerned about the new rulers of Damascus, who are close to Ankara and who it describes as Islamist extremists, despite the fact that they have not directly threatened or provoked the Israelis.
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Reports suggest that Israel has been lobbying both Washington and Moscow to counterbalance Turkey’s growing influence in the region.
Criminal past
Shalicar’s background has drawn significant attention. Born in Germany in 1977 to Iranian Jewish parents, he grew up in Berlin’s Wedding district, where he became involved in a notorious youth gang.
According to German media, his gang engaged in graffiti, fights and robberies. The Berliner Zeitung reported that Shalicar carried a golden folding knife with a 15-centimetre blade and was unafraid to use it.
When he was 17, he stabbed a Turkish rival gang member during a fight. According to Tagesspiegel, the attack occurred after 15 gang members chased and beat him.
“I pulled out my knife and stabbed the victim two to three times in the thigh and back,” Shalicar recalled. The Turk survived, and Shalicar was never caught by the police, but the incident reinforced his reputation in the gang world.
Reflecting on his youth, Shalicar admitted: “I was involved in crime, involved in gang life… all sorts of things. What gangs usually do.” He said his mother cried every night, and his father threw him out of the house multiple times, telling him: “You’re not my son any more.”
Despite his criminal past, Shalicar also had Turkish and Kurdish friends in Wedding, some of whom protected him from antisemitic attacks. He maintained close friendships with two Turkish Sunni friends, who remain in his life today.
However, he felt that life in his neighbourhood had become so dangerous that it was only a matter of time before he was murdered, the Times of Israel reported.
In 1999, Shalicar took Russian and Turkish language classes before visiting Israel for the first time. He later graduated from high school and completed basic training in the German army.
In 2001, he immigrated to Israel, where he fulfilled his compulsory military service. He went on to study international relations, Middle Eastern history and politics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, graduating in 2009. He then became an Israeli military spokesperson.
Shalicar’s announcement of the new Turkish-language account was met with widespread criticism, including insults and backlash. Many questioned why the Israeli military launched such a channel now and did not appoint a native Turkish speaker as its spokesperson.
Controversial spokesperson
Shalicar’s time as a German-language spokesperson for the Israeli military wasn't a success. On his private account, he has reportedly posted insults and strong language against well-known German journalists over their Gaza reporting.
Last month, according to German newspaper Neues Deutschland, he labelled several German journalists, along with a Greek Mera25 politician and a streamer, as the “Top 10 propagators of Jew-hatred.”
Among those targeted were Deutsche Welle correspondent Martin Gak, TV journalist Stephan Hallmann, and video blogger Tilo Jung - all known for their professional reporting on Israel’s war on Gaza, often highlighting Palestinian perspectives.
This is not the first time Shalicar has addressed Turkish audiences.
In January, he released a video in Turkish, attempting to convince viewers that Israel’s military actions were not aimed at harming Palestinians but at targeting Hamas, which he described as a terrorist organisation.
An Israeli military spokesperson told Middle East Eye: "There are many Israelis who know Turkish because they love Turkish TV series.
"It is well known that the Turkish and Israeli people have always been friends and have always had a deep appreciation for each other," they added.
"That’s why you may hear many Israelis who also speak Turkish, as they learn the language through these series."
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