Israeli Official Urges Congress to Halt F-35 Sales to Turkey

A senior Israeli official conveyed to Breitbart News that Congress should intervene and prevent the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, suggesting it could pose a threat to Israel.

The Lockheed Martin F-35, known as Adir in the Israeli Air Force, represents the pinnacle of American military technology. Israel’s involvement has notably influenced its performance during conflicts, such as its recent skirmish with Iran.

While the prospect of military confrontations with Turkey seems distant, the official noted that Turkey’s ambitions—like its intention to reclaim Jerusalem and restore the Ottoman Empire—could increase tensions.

Israel is prepared to take action against Turkey if it becomes necessary, although officials prefer to sidestep any direct conflict.

Officials stated that Congress has the power to block Turkey’s acquisition of the F-35, which Israel strongly supports.

Turkey, a NATO ally, has paradoxically been one of Israel’s significant partners in the Islamic world, despite President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s adversarial posture toward Israel.

Erdogan frequently likens Prime Minister Netanyahu to historical tyrants like Hitler and Stalin and has been known to offer refuge to leaders of Hamas.

Last year, Turkey played a major role in ousting Bashar al-Assad from power in Syria, an outcome that Israel viewed favorably given Iran’s influence. Since then, Turkey has shown interest in establishing military bases in Syria. Officially, these bases aim to combat ISIS, but Israeli officials believe their true purpose is to counteract Israeli actions.

Israel is weary of ongoing conflict and seeks to avoid any escalation with Turkey. That said, officials reaffirmed their commitment to thwart Turkish interests in Syria when necessary.

The fact that Turkey is an ally adds layers of complexity to the situation, making Israeli officials underscore the importance of stopping any F-35 sales to Turkey.

Reports indicate that President Donald Trump maintains a good relationship with Erdogan, which could potentially create tension within the strong US-Israel alliance.

US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack suggested last week that Congress might greenlight the F-35 sale. Turkey was previously barred from receiving these jets in 2019 after purchasing a Russian S-400 missile defense system, but Barrack noted that a resolution to this issue seems to be on the horizon.