Turkey accuses Israel of F-35 ‘disinformation’

ISTANBUL: Turkey on Tuesday rejected as “disinformation” Israel’s claim that the sale to Ankara of US F-35 fighter jets and components would upset the regional power balance.

Ahead of a Nato summit in Turkey, Ankara’s foreign ministry slammed the claim made Monday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“The baseless allegations recently circulated by Israeli officials in a coordinated manner and with calculated timing are part of a disinformation campaign,” the ministry said.

“Netanyahu and his partners in crime deliberately distort any criticism directed at them and seek to divert attention through a systematic propaganda effort.”

Netanyahu had Monday urged the US not to sell the jets to Nato ally Turkey, arguing it would “upset the power balance” in the region.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was due to receive his US counterpart Donald Trump ahead of the summit starting Tuesday evening.

Last month, Trump promised to make Erdogan “very happy” when asked about Turkey looking to secure F110 jet engines and regaining access to the F-35 programme.

Analysts say Turkey wants to secure the new engines for use in its flagship KAAN stealth fighter project, as Ankara seeks to join the exclusive club of nations producing fifth-generation combat aircraft, which notably includes the US, China and Russia.

In 2019, Washington expelled Turkey from the F-35 programme two years after Ankara acquired a Russian S-400 missile defence system.

Ankara’s foreign ministry said Israel’s pushback could not “conceal the Netanyahu government’s genocide in Gaza, its policies of occupation and annexation, and its destabilising actions in the region”.

The ministry added Turkey wanted to see peace, stability and prosperity come to the whole region and that “with this understanding, we once again call on Israel to pursue a constructive and peaceful policy.”

Netanyahu on Monday told Fox News: “I don’t think (Turkey) should be given F-35s or the engines for their fighter jets, because that’ll upset the power balance in the Middle East, which is ultimately guaranteed by Israeli air superiority and also by, I think, by America’s posture in the Middle East.”

Erdogan is counting on his good relations with Trump and his country’s return to favour with Washington notably over its support for Ukraine to secure the delivery of six jets, for which payment has already been made.