Israeli minister says he pressured US to block Turkey's F-35 purchase

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said they have been conducting both overt and covert efforts aimed at the Washington administration to prevent Turkey's access to F-35 fighter jets. Smotrich described President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as 'very dangerous' and defined Turkey as a threat to Israel.

Scraper SystemJuly 09, 2026, 10:53 AM

Israeli minister says he pressured US to block Turkey's F-35 purchase

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced that they have been conducting intense lobbying efforts toward the US to prevent Turkey from rejoining the F-35 fighter jet program. Speaking to the Israeli press, Smotrich stated that they have made both overt and behind-the-scenes attempts toward this goal.

In an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, the Israeli minister noted that they have been holding tight talks with US President Donald Trump on this issue, saying, "We are working very hard both openly and behind the scenes to prevent the sale of F-35s to Turkey."

Smotrich used the phrase "a very dangerous man" for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, claiming, "Erdoğan should not be allowed access to weapons that would change the rules of the game." The minister also argued that Turkey's current situation poses a significant threat to Israel.

These concerns within the Israeli administration increased after US President Trump recently gave positive signals regarding Turkey's return to the F-35 program at the NATO Summit held in Ankara. Previously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had also opposed the sale of F-35s to Turkey, emphasizing that the US must preserve Israel's military superiority in the region.

Source: Anadolu Ajansı

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