F-35 for Turkey – Netanyahu Warns Trump
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington, warned against selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, stating that Erdogan seeks to revive the Ottoman Empire. Trump indicated he does not intend to heed public objections. The meeting also covered the situation in Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and a shift from financial aid to defense partnership.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a 90-minute meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington, during which he warned against selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. Netanyahu stated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to revive the Ottoman Empire. Trump made it clear that he does not intend to heed the Israeli prime minister's public objections regarding the supply of American weaponry. The meeting also discussed the situations in Syria, Lebanon, and Iran. Netanyahu presented a map of Syria, noting that Turkey controls about 5% of its territory, while the IDF occupies 0.1%. Regarding southern Lebanon, Trump did not insist on a troop withdrawal after Netanyahu explained the need for a six-mile buffer zone. Trump assured that the agreement with Saudi Arabia on civilian nuclear energy is part of normalization with Israel. One of the main points was the initiative to transition from direct financial aid to a defense partnership. Netanyahu proposed a phased elimination of annual grants of $3.3 billion by 2028, maintaining $500 million for missile defense funding and creating a joint fund of $16 billion. Israel also plans to launch a program to develop its own combat aircraft.