Trump’s Turkey Stance Sparks NATO Summit Tensions
President Donald Trump declared the U.S.-Turkey relationship “better than ever” at the NATO summit, despite growing concerns over F-35 sales and Ankara’s support for Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Turkey’s actions endanger regional stability, while Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about “dangerous adventures in Syria.”
The tension escalated after Israel struck Syria’s Abu al-Duhur airbase two days prior, with Katz stating Israel would “not allow any actor to threaten its security.”
Turkey denied having military personnel at the base before or during the strike, rejecting Israel’s account that Syrian forces were preparing to host Turkish troops.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee confirmed Washington was refining a de-escalation process, stating the dispute was “not close” to triggering direct Israeli-Turkish confrontation.
U.S. special envoy Tom Barrack warned Turkey received no advance notice of the strike and urged better coordination to prevent accidental escalation between NATO allies and Israel.
Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak criticized Netanyahu for deliberately escalating tensions with Turkey for political gain ahead of Israeli elections, arguing the disputes could be resolved through U.S.-coordinated diplomacy.
Analysts note Netanyahu faces internal criticism while Trump’s proposed F-35 sale to Turkey sparks congressional questions before the NATO summit.
Fox News Digital reported that Netanyahu, IDF Chief Eyal Zamir and Defense Minister Katz attended a security meeting following the strike, with satellite imagery confirming craters on Abu al-Duhur’s runways.
