Trump To Corner Netanyahu With F-35 Jets Plan For Turkey – Why Israel Is Uneasy | World News

Washington: US President Donald Trump’s statement that he was considering supplying state-of-the-art F-35 warplanes to Türkiye alarmed Israel and led to strong opposition from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite Tel Aviv’s objections, Trump has shown little sign of backing down and even raised the issue openly in a recent meeting with Netanyahu.

According to Arab News, the issue came up when Trump and Netanyahu met in Washington on Monday. Asked about the possibility of selling F-35 jets directly to Türkiye, the US president said Washington was “considering this issue very seriously.”

When pressed on Israeli concerns, he brushed them aside, saying he did not believe the move would cause any real problems.

‘Erdogan is a Friend’

Answering questions about the tense relations between Israel and Türkiye, Trump described Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a “good friend” and insisted that tensions between the two countries would not escalate. “We don’t think anything will happen,” he said, downplaying fears of regional fallout.

The possibility of Türkiye purchasing advanced warplanes has attracted attention because US policy has traditionally focused on maintaining Israel’s qualitative military superiority over its regional rivals. Any change in this approach is being watched closely in Tel Aviv.

The United States removed Türkiye from the F-35 program in 2019 after Ankara decided to purchase a missile defense system from Russia; Washington said this move posed a security risk. As a result, Türkiye, despite being a member of NATO, was excluded from the development and supply chain of the stealth aircraft.

However, in recent months, expectations that Türkiye may regain access to the jets have resurfaced, a development that will strengthen Erdogan’s military hand.

Why is Israel Uneasy?

Israel’s concern stems from its increasingly tense relations with Türkiye at various regional flashpoints. Israeli policymakers argue that Turkish-owned F-35 jets could tip the balance in any future conflict, especially given past friction between the two countries in Syria.

Syria, devastated by years of war, borders both Israel and Türkiye and is a region where their strategic interests often conflict. Both countries are trying to expand their influence here, increasing the risk of conflict.

In this context, while Trump’s apparent willingness to continue the F-35 deal raised hopes in Ankara, it deepened uneasiness in Israel and left Netanyahu facing a diplomatic and strategic dilemma.