Prime Minister Netanyahu has asked President Trump not to sell Turkey weapons systems intended for upgrading its air force, journalist Barak Ravid reports. The request was made directly to the US president.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has directly asked U.S. President Trump not to sell Turkey weapons systems for upgrading its air force, according to a report Monday evening by journalist Barak Ravid. The request, relayed directly to the president, targets systems intended to upgrade the Turkish air force and comes as the Trump administration signals it may approve the sale of F-35 fighter jets and related technology to Ankara. The new detail, reported at 20:13 Jerusalem, follows a day of escalating Israeli statements on the matter.
The Zioneer's thread on this story began Monday at 14:35 Jerusalem, when Netanyahu was first reported warning that a plane deal would 'harm the balance of power.' Within the same hour, the desk reported him stating he and Trump see eye-to-eye on 99% of issues while warning against selling F-35s to Turkey, calling President Erdogan a leader who 'openly calls for the destruction of Israel.' By 14:35, Netanyahu had gone public with hardened opposition, arguing that selling F-35s would disrupt the Middle Eastern power balance, which he said is guaranteed by Israeli air superiority. Shortly after, at 14:38, The Zioneer published an article quoting Netanyahu's broader argument that 'Turkey does not deserve F-35s.' The evolution moved from a general warning to a specific, direct request to Trump, reported by a single journalist — Barak Ravid.
The Zioneer has reported extensively on the backdrop to this development. On June 25, Trump said he would likely approve the F-35 and engine sale to Turkey, calling Ankara a 'strong' NATO member. That same day, American commentator Mark Levin called on Trump to halt F-35 transfers to Turkey, and a former Israeli Air Force official urged the government to block the potential sale. On June 28, a bipartisan group of U.S. House members urged Secretary of State Rubio and Defense Secretary Hegseth to block the sale over concerns about Turkey's Russian S-400 system. On July 2, Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan criticized U.S. arms-sale denial to Ankara as 'unjustified.'
The report remains sourced to a single journalist, Barak Ravid, and has not been confirmed by an on-record Israeli or U.S. official. The specific weapons systems referred to in the request have not been detailed beyond the context of air force upgrades.
7 developments
- DevelopingFormer Israeli Air Force official urges government to block potential US F-35 sale to Turkey
- StrongAnalysis: Trump's renewed push for F-35 sale to Turkey threatens Israel's air supremacy in the Mediterranean
- DevelopingIsraeli minister warns Israel will do all it can to block Turkey from getting F-35s
- DevelopingIsraeli Ambassador to US Leiter Opposes F-35 Sale to Turkey, Vows to Respect US Decision
Source and signal
- Internal intake