Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on the United States to halt the sale of advanced weapons systems to Turkey, as President Donald Trump prepares to travel to Turkey for the NATO Summit. Speaking on Fox News, Netanyahu launched a scathing attack on Ankara, describing Turkey as “a regime infected by the Muslim Brotherhood.”
“I don’t think they should be given F-35s or engines for their fighter jets,” he stated bluntly. His remarks come after Trump signaled last month that he could agree to the sale of F110 engines for Turkish fighter jets and Turkey’s return to the F-35 program. Netanyahu warned that such a move could “upset the balance of power in the Middle East,” which he said is maintained by Israel’s air superiority and the American military presence in the region.
While Netanyahu acknowledged Turkey as “a great country,” he launched a sharp personal attack on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He argued that Turkey is governed by a leader who “openly threatens Israel with destruction” and “occupies half of Cyprus.”
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Netanyahu also noted that no date has yet been set for his visit to Washington and his meeting with Trump, while he sought to downplay recent disagreements over the US-Iran memorandum of understanding.
“We see almost everything the same way,” he said of his relationship with the American president. “We have disagreements from time to time, but we work them out because we are allies,” he added, noting that both sides openly discuss their differences.
“The president has his own way of expressing himself, and I have mine,” he said. “We are allies. We are your model ally,” he emphasized.
Turning to Iran, Netanyahu stressed that the Islamic Republic “is not a friend of America” and must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons or the means to deliver them. “This is a battle of freedom against fanaticism,” he declared.
When asked why the Iranian regime remains in power, he replied that it commands “a few hundred thousand thugs who kill and murder their own citizens day and night.”
Netanyahu also said that Israel hopes to see progress in the peace process with Lebanon, arguing that the weakening of Iran “has opened the door to more peace agreements.”
In closing, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, he described America as “a tremendous force for good,” saying that “without America there would be no democracy or freedom in the world.” “God bless America,” he concluded.
