Netanyahu presses Trump to confront Erdogan on anti-Israel rhetoric in NATO Summit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has privately appealed to US President Donald Trump to step in and ask Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to dial back his increasingly sharp rhetoric on Israel ahead of this week's NATO summit in Ankara.

According to Axios, Netanyahu also urged Trump to avoid approving new military sales that could strengthen Turkey's air force, including a proposed $700 million deal for fighter jet engines and a possible path for Ankara to rejoin the F-35 fighter jet programme. The requests come as Trump prepares to meet Erdogan during the NATO leaders' summit, where regional security and defence ties are expected to dominate discussions.

Relations between Israel and Turkey have steadily worsened over the past two years. The wars in Gaza and Iran have pushed the two countries even further apart, with Erdogan emerging as one of Israel's fiercest critics.

The Turkish president has repeatedly condemned Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Last week, he went a step further by calling Zionism "a genocidal ideology" and suggesting it posed a threat to Turkey itself.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan echoed that criticism during a television interview, describing the Israeli government as "a burden that humanity can no longer bear" and "a problem for the entire world." He also urged the international community to impose sanctions on Israel.

Those remarks have only deepened Israeli concerns. Officials in Jerusalem fear that giving Turkey access to more advanced American military technology could shift the regional balance of power at a time when tensions across the Middle East remain high.

NETANYAHU TAKES HIS CONCERNS TO TRUMP

Netanyahu raised the issue during a phone call with Trump on Friday, reported Axios.

The Israeli leader asked the US president to use his personal rapport with Erdogan to persuade the Turkish leader to tone down his public attacks on Israel.

"Netanyahu made an ask and the president heard him. So the president might pass on (to Erdogan) the message like, 'Hey, can you just go a little easy on this.' But it is what it is," a US official told Axios.

Neither the White House nor Netanyahu's office commented on the reported conversation.

Another major concern for Israel is Turkey's possible return to the F-35 fighter jet programme.

Turkey was removed from the programme in 2019 after buying Russia's S-400 air defence system. Washington argued that operating the Russian-made system alongside the stealth fighter could expose sensitive US military technology.

Now, the Trump administration is exploring whether there is a legal pathway to revive the deal. Vice President JD Vance confirmed last week that the Pentagon is reviewing the issue.

"There are certain things that we have to certify have happened ... in order to comply with American law. The president has asked us to do that," Vance told reporters in the Oval Office.

Alongside the F-35 discussions, the two countries are also expected to talk about a proposed $700 million engine package for Turkey's fighter aircraft.

TRUMP FACES A DELICATE BALANCING ACT

The issue places Trump in a difficult position.

He has maintained friendly ties with both Netanyahu and Erdogan, even as relations between Israel and Turkey have sharply deteriorated. Israel remains America's closest ally in the Middle East, while Turkey is NATO's second-largest military and an important strategic partner for the alliance.

The Ankara summit offers Trump a chance to strengthen defence cooperation with Turkey, but any major arms deal is likely to draw close scrutiny from Israel.

The timing also matters. Netanyahu's standing in Washington has reportedly weakened after disagreements over the Iran conflict. Some senior US officials have privately questioned the Israeli leader's assessments during the war, making it less clear how much influence he now holds inside the Trump administration.

NETANYAHU WARNS AGAINST ARMING TURKEY

Netanyahu has not limited his concerns to private conversations.

During an interview on Fox & Friends earlier this week, he openly criticised Erdogan and warned against supplying Turkey with advanced fighter aircraft.

"For a regime infected by the Muslim Brotherhood, an extreme movement that hates America ... I don't think they should be given F-35s or the engines for their fighter jets because that will upset the power balance in the Middle East, which is guaranteed by Israeli air superiority and by America's posture," Netanyahu said.

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