Washington should hold off on selling F-35s to Turkey
History shows how quickly allies can turn into adversaries.
Moshe Phillips | Dec 29, 2025
27th Adir F35 arrival at Nevatim, August 2020. Photo by U.S. Embassy Jerusalem – DSC_0863SM, CC BY 2.0, Wikipedia
When Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, tweeted on Dec. 9 that America “is in ongoing discussions with Turkey regarding their desire to rejoin the F-35 program,” it should have sent chills through any American who cares about the future of the Middle East. An F-35 stealth fighter jet taking off from Turkey could reach Israeli airspace in about 15 minutes. Cyprus is even closer, and Turkey doesn’t even recognize the Republic of Cyprus.
Avi Weiss,






President Donald J. Trump walks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, along the Colonnade of the White House. Photo by The White House from Washington, DC – President Trump Meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Public Domain, 

