Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been actively urging U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to prevent the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, citing worries about Ankara’s increasing influence in Syria, according to three sources, including two senior Western officials, who spoke to Middle East Eye.
Netanyahu discussed the F-35 situation during several conversations with Rubio in March and April, as reported by the two Western officials. A third source familiar with the discussions confirmed that Netanyahu had indeed pressed Rubio regarding the arms deal.
Netanyahu has numerous issues to discuss with Trump, including unexpected tariffs imposed on Israel, potential nuclear negotiations with Iran, the disarmament of Hezbollah, and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The rivalry between Israel and Turkey is intensifying in Syria.
Recently, Israel conducted airstrikes on three military installations in Syria, including the Tiyas air base, also known as T4. These attacks were timed to exploit a brief opportunity before Turkey repositioned its military assets.
Middle East Eye previously reported that Turkey is deploying a Hisar-type air defense system to the T4 base.
Turkey’s control over these bases is part of a defense agreement that Ankara and Damascus have been negotiating since December. This pact would involve Turkey providing air support and military protection for Syria’s new government, which currently lacks a viable military force.
Netanyahu and his advisors view Rubio as a key ally in their efforts to block Turkey from obtaining F-35s, according to the Western officials.
Rubio’s Stance on Turkey
Rubio is recognized as one of the leading critics of Turkey within Trump’s administration. He was among the few American officials to voice concern over the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, on March 19. The imprisonment of Imamoglu, a prominent rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, ignited widespread protests across Turkey.
In the wake of the arrest, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, remarked that Trump had a “truly transformational” conversation with Erdogan, highlighting that “there is a lot of positive news emerging from Turkey at this time.”
Sources informed MEE that Netanyahu has frequently brought up the F-35 matter with Rubio, including during a call that occurred prior to Rubio’s meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, in Washington DC on March 25.
According to a summary of that meeting released by the State Department, the two leaders talked about “close cooperation to promote a stable, unified, and peaceful Syria.”
Rubio and Fidan also shared a warm greeting during a NATO summit in Brussels in April.
During his tenure as a Republican Senator, Rubio showed a keen interest in the Eastern Mediterranean. He successfully passed legislation aimed at enhancing security and energy collaboration among Greece, Cyprus, and Israel.
Rubio co-authored the 2019 Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act, which authorized military financing for Greece and removed restrictions on arms sales to the Republic of Cyprus.
Greece has historically been Turkey’s adversary in the region. In 1974, Turkey invaded northern Cyprus following a failed coup aimed at uniting the island with Greece. Currently, Turkey has over 35,000 troops stationed in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a territory recognized by no UN member state other than Turkey.
Cyprus, Greece, and Israel are increasingly concerned about Turkey’s expanding influence in the region, particularly following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria by Islamist rebels last year.
With Turkey’s allies now established in Damascus, both Greece and Cyprus fear that Turkey may attempt to replicate a maritime agreement similar to the one it made with Libya’s Tripoli-based government.
Over the past decade, Greece and Israel have strengthened their military cooperation, supported by the United States, partly as a countermeasure to Turkey’s maritime agreement with Libya.
This collaboration has intensified in light of Turkey’s rising influence in Syria. On March 30, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Israel, and discussions are underway for Greece to acquire Israel’s Barak medium-range air defense systems.
The Israeli foreign ministry has refrained from commenting on Netanyahu’s lobbying efforts, and the State Department did not respond to MEE’s inquiry by the time of publication.
A source familiar with Ankara’s perspective indicated that while they are aware of Netanyahu’s lobbying, they do not believe it will have a significant impact.
A senior Turkish official informed MEE that the Trump administration has not indicated any changes regarding the F-35 issue.
According to the source, “Netanyahu could only request Trump to increase the number of F-35s sold to Israel, potentially doubling what Turkey might purchase. You cannot expect Trump to refrain from making that sale.”
Trump and the ‘unfriendly takeover’
Although Trump frequently emphasizes his positive rapport with Erdogan, he has also voiced criticism towards Turkey on multiple occasions.
In December, Trump remarked that Erdogan facilitated an “unfriendly takeover” of Syria following the overthrow of Assad’s government by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). He expressed apprehension regarding Turkish expansionist ambitions, stating, “They’ve wanted it [Syria] for thousands of years, and he got it.”
Steve Bannon, a former advisor to Trump and host of the podcast War Room, which has become essential for those interested in Trump’s perspective, recently labeled Erdogan as “one of the most dangerous leaders” globally, asserting that he aims to “re-establish the Ottoman Empire.”
Influence from external parties is increasingly evident in Trump’s administration, highlighted by right-wing conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer’s criticism of several national security officials.
The conflict between Turkey and the US regarding F-35 fighter jets dates back to 2019 when Ankara acquired Russia’s S-400 missile system, resulting in its removal from the warplane’s co-production program. The following year, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Turkey.
MEE reported that Ankara is contemplating the temporary deployment of S-400 air defense systems to T4 or Palmyra in Syria to secure the airspace during base reconstruction. However, a final decision is pending, and approval from Russia is necessary.
According to US law, Turkey must forfeit the S-400 system to be reinstated in the F-35 program. However, deploying the S-400 to Syria could raise concerns for Israel.
Israel has historically held a veto over US arms sales to other Middle Eastern nations to ensure it retains a qualitative military advantage in the region.
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