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Turkey doesn't need F-35s to threaten Israel
The Jerusalem Post • • nation
Key Points:
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Turkey, influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood, should not be rearmed with F-35 jets or F110 engines, as it would disrupt regional power balance favoring Israel and US presence.
- US President Donald Trump indicated willingness to lift CAATSA sanctions on Turkey and consider restoring its access to the F-35 program, signaling a potential policy shift despite Israeli concerns.
- Turkey’s military involvement in Libya, including use of Bayraktar TB2 drones and electronic warfare systems, demonstrates Ankara’s strategy of leveraging indigenous defense technology to project power and influence local factions aligned with its interests.
- Turkey has begun hedging by engaging with both sides of the Libyan civil war to secure maritime and energy claims, complicating regional dynamics and raising proliferation risks of advanced military technology falling into ideologically aligned militias.
- Israeli officials view Turkey’s expanding military capabilities and political ambitions as a challenge to the Abraham Accords and regional stability, urging Washington to consider Turkey’s Libya actions when deciding on F-35 sales and sanctions relief.
