Erdogan

After the founding of Israel, Turkey became the first Muslim-majority country to recognize Israel. Israel and Turkey had good relations until the rise of the AKP party in the early 2000s.

The opposition has rejected a wave of accusations since 2024 and says the investigations are politically motivated. The government says the judiciary is independent.

The answer becomes clearer once the South African relationship is placed inside Turkey’s broader African buildup, which has been running for two decades and has little to do with Israel at all. 

Turkey’s F-35 struggle is not just about aircraft; it is about trust, intelligence, and the future of a NATO alliance.

The Republican People's Party, known by its Turkish-language acronym CHP, was founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and is the main opposition to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Israel has gradually adopted the logic of a fortress: defend the center, harden the perimeter, and intercept whatever penetrates it. But a fortress cedes the initiative to the besieger.

Complaining of the alleged anti-Ankara rhetoric coming from Jerusalem, Fidan directed criticism at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition and select members of the opposition.

DIPLOMATIC AFFAIRS: Netanyahu’s campaign against selling F-35s to Ankara reflects a growing conviction in Jerusalem that Turkey is shaping up to be Israel’s principal long-term challenge.

The debate over the F-35 goes beyond the aircraft themselves. It concerns how the United States balances its relations with its two important allies in the eastern Mediterranean.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, "I did have issues, and I still do. But Spain, they came back all the way today. Spain was very generous today."