The unusually harsh statement by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan that Israel has become “a burden humanity can no longer bear” is no longer being viewed in Jerusalem as merely another verbal exchange between Israel and Turkey. Rather, Israel sees it as part of a broader escalation in relations—at a particularly sensitive moment for Israel: just days before the NATO summit in Ankara, where US President Donald Trump is expected to attend as the guest of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Israel’s foreign policy and security establishment understands that the decisive question is no longer what Erdoğan or his foreign minister says, but what concessions Trump may grant Turkey as part of his efforts to draw Ankara closer to Washington once again.
Israeli concerns focus on two possibilities: Turkey’s return to the F-35 stealth fighter program, from which it was removed in 2019, or at least American approval for the sale of F110 engines intended for Turkey’s new KAAN fighter jet—the flagship project of the Turkish defense industry.
Become a Member
-
Read all member content
Get exclusive in-depth reports from Israel.
-
Get exclusive in-depth reports from Israel
Connect with Israel, right from your home.
-
Lift up the voice of truth and hope
Support Jerusalem-based Zionist journalism.
Already a member? Login here.
