Analysis
Trump's F-35 push for Turkey runs into CAATSA — and Israel
Israel fears that Washington may be shifting its strategic options toward Turkey as the two rivals push for regional hegemony.
TEL AVIV — The NATO summit in Turkey is testing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s dwindling influence and highlighting deepening concerns over Ankara’s closer ties with Washington and its increased regional clout.
A senior Israeli security source described the Turkish-Israeli rivalry as a race for regional hegemony.
“It's a clash between two opposing poles. It's a struggle for hegemony in the Middle East, and it’s also about closeness to the United States," he told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “The most disturbing thing is that Turkey is leading Israel in this game by a wide margin that seems unbridgeable.”
Israel concerned by potential F-35 sale
