Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the sale of F-35 stealth fighters to Turkey would undermine the Middle East's balance of power, according to a report. The statement follows similar warnings from Netanyahu and a reversal by President Trump on the sale.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a fresh warning early Wednesday (Jul 8, 03:41 Jerusalem) against the potential sale of F-35 stealth fighters to Turkey, stating that the deal 'would destroy the balance of power' in the region. The statement comes hours after President Trump reversed his earlier stance on the sale, and extends Netanyahu's weeks-long campaign to block the transfer.
On Monday, July 6, Netanyahu escalated his opposition through a series of public and private statements. According to The Zioneer's reporting, he first warned in a closed Knesset forum (version 3), then publicly hardened his position (version 2), directly asked President Trump to block the sale (versions 5 and 6), intensified Israel's diplomatic campaign (version 7), claimed Turkish President Erdogan seeks to revive the Ottoman Empire including Israel (version 8), told CNN the sale 'would destroy the Middle East balance' (version 9), and said he agrees with Trump on almost everything except the F-35 (version 10). On Tuesday, July 7, Trump reversed his earlier openness, stating at 18:17 and 19:44 Jerusalem that placing F-35s in Turkey's hands would 'destroy the Middle East's balance of power' (The Zioneer).
The Zioneer previously reported that Trump had signaled openness to the sale on June 25, saying he would likely approve the deal. Netanyahu has consistently argued that Turkey under Erdogan threatens Israel, Greece, and Cyprus, as reported by The Zioneer on July 6.
While Trump's reversal aligns with Netanyahu's position, the sale has not been formally canceled, and Netanyahu continues to press the issue. The administration's final decision remains unannounced.
9 developments
- StrongTrump says he would not sell F-35s to Turkey, warns of regional imbalance
- StrongNetanyahu tells Fox News: Erdogan threatens Israel, Greece, Cyprus, destabilizes region; should not get F-35
- StrongSecurity officials press Netanyahu to urgently speak with Trump over F-35 sale to Turkey
- StrongAnalysis: Trump's renewed push for F-35 sale to Turkey threatens Israel's air supremacy in the Mediterranean
Source and signal
- Internal intake