Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the US sale of F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye would upset the military balance in the region. According to an analysis published in Foreign Policy magazine, Netanyahu believes that this sale would threaten Israel's military superiority.
In his meeting with US President Donald Trump, Netanyahu conveyed that the possible sale would shake the power balance in the Middle East. However, Trump dismissed these concerns and said he had convinced President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan not to act against Israel together with Iran.
Background of the tension
Israel's concerns about Türkiye are based on accumulated disputes between the two countries. After the Gaza War, bilateral relations seriously deteriorated, and the rising anti-Israel rhetoric from Türkiye drew attention.
Netanyahu claimed that Ankara has taken a harder stance against Israeli activities in the region and that Turkish foreign policy has become increasingly hostile. Western countries also criticize Türkiye for its maritime jurisdiction disputes with Greece and for rights violations such as the arrests of opposition politicians and journalists.
Additionally, Türkiye's past disputes within NATO are also recalled. Ankara's purchase of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system and its long obstruction of Sweden's accession to the alliance caused tension among allies.
Domestic political calculations
According to the analysis, Netanyahu's warnings about Türkiye cannot be evaluated independently of his domestic political calculations ahead of the upcoming Israeli elections. It is stated that the Prime Minister, by exaggerating external threats, tries to portray himself as the only leader who can protect Israel and aims to maintain support from his right-wing voter base.
The article emphasizes that it is also significant that the Israeli government decided to officially recognize the Armenian genocide during the same period. For decades, Israel had avoided taking this step in order to preserve its strategic relations with Ankara.
Double standard criticism
Author Azriel Bermant argues that there is a double standard in Netanyahu's regional policy. While Netanyahu criticizes Erdoğan for suppressing opponents and journalists, he maintained close ties for years with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is accused of similar violations.
Furthermore, it is noted that while Netanyahu criticizes Erdoğan's ambition to revive Ottoman influence, he himself uses rhetoric about reshaping the Middle East. Israel's continued control in Gaza, Lebanon, and parts of Syria, and the demands of far-right coalition partners for the annexation of Palestinian territories are given as examples in this context.
The analysis concludes that the escalating tension with Türkiye serves Netanyahu's pre-election political goals. In this way, the Prime Minister can emerge as the sole defender of Israel's security in the face of growing external threats.
According to the assessment in Foreign Policy, the sale of F-35s to Türkiye could indeed create a significant change in the regional power balance. However, the real problem may be that Netanyahu's warnings, repeated for domestic political purposes, could lose their impact among allies. An even greater challenge is that the Trump administration may have already begun to approach these warnings more cautiously.
