In an effort to block the sale of F-35 warplanes to Turkey, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been lobbying US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing concerns about Turkish influence in Syria, Middle East Eye reported.
Netanyahu brought up the F-35 matter during several calls with Rubio in March and April. Netanyahu has privately stated he will pressure Trump against the F-35 sale but has not yet discussed it with him. Netanyahu has a range of issues to address with Trump, from unexpected tariffs imposed on Israel and potential nuclear negotiations with Iran to the disarmament of Hezbollah and Israel’s ongoing conflict with Gaza.
Israel and Turkey’s rivalry is intensifying in Syria
Last week, Israel targeted three military bases in the country, including Syria’s Tiyas air base, commonly referred to as T4. The strikes occurred as Israel identified a narrow window of opportunity to attack the bases before Turkey moved its military assets in. Turkey is deploying a Hisar-type air defense system to the T4 base.
Turkey’s command of the bases is part of a pending defense agreement that Ankara and Damascus have been negotiating since December. The pact would involve Turkey providing air cover and military protection for Syria’s new government, which currently lacks a functional military. Netanyahu and his counsels view Rubio as a strong ally in efforts to prevent Turkey from acquiring F-35s.
Rubio and Turkey: A Closer Look
Rubio is one of the leading Turkey critics in Trump’s team. He was among the lone American officials who objected to the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19.
The sources revealed that Netanyahu has raised the F-35 matter with Rubio on several occasions, including during a call that took place prior to Rubio receiving his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, in Washington, DC on March 25. A transcript of the meeting issued by the State Department stated that the two men discussed “close cooperation to support a stable, unified, peaceful Syria.” Rubio and Fidan also shared a warm hug on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Brussels in April.
As a Republican Senator, Rubio took a significant interest in the Eastern Mediterranean. He legislated to enhance security and energy cooperation between Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. Rubio co-sponsored the 2019 Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act, which granted foreign military financing to Greece and lifted a prohibition on the sale of defense articles to the Republic of Cyprus.
Greece is the regional historical adversary of Turkey. Greece was invaded by Turkey in northern Cyprus in 1974 when an attempt at uniting it with Greece failed in a coup bid. More than 35,000 Turkish troops are stationed in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a country which is supported by no other UN member apart from Turkey.
Cyprus, Greece, and Israel have been increasingly worried about Turkey’s growing influence in the region after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria by Islamist rebels towards the end of last year. With Ankara’s allies already stationed in Damascus, Greece and Cyprus are concerned that Turkey might follow a sea agreement it had made with Libya’s Tripoli government. Greece and Israel have been strengthening their military ties for a decade, with US support, partly in response to that maritime deal with Libya.
That ties has intensified in response to Turkey’s increasing influence in Syria. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Israel on March 30, and Greece is in negotiations with Israel to acquire its Barak medium-range air defense systems.
