Netanyahu and U.S. Critics United in Urging Washington to Block F-35 Sale to Erdogan's Turkey
Al Arabiya—Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has formally urged the United States not to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, aligning with American analysts who argue that Erdogan's government cannot be trusted with advanced NATO-linked technology. Turkey was expelled from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing Russia's S-400 missile defense system, and has since sought to leverage its NATO membership to secure readmission. Critics warn that restoring Turkey's access to the F-35 would give Erdogan a significant military upgrade he could use to extract further concessions from Washington and Brussels. The exclusion has remained in force under Trump, but Turkey has intensified its lobbying campaign.