Israel and Turkey are on a collision course
Recep Tayyip Erdogan is turning his back on Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s legacy not only regarding Turkey’s secular character, but also in foreign policy. The country’s focus on Europe is giving way to an embrace of the Islamic world.
Prof. Eyal Zisser | July 21, 2026
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Following the October 7 catastrophe, relations between Israel and Turkey collapsed to the point that some believe they are beyond repair. In recent months, fears have also grown that the hostility and rivalry between Israel and Turkey could deteriorate into an open military confrontation. Those concerns were reflected in remarks by US President Donald Trump, who said Turkey had been on the verge of entering the war against Israel during the conflict with Iran and had refrained from doing so only because of his intervention.




VP Vance during Trump meeting with Lebanon Pres. Aoun. Screenshot via Youtube. 
![Iranian protestors. Screengrab via Youtube [Cropped] https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DliDl9lP2hc](https://www.israpundit.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-26-120342-300x250.png)

Blaze following successful Iranian attack on US Fifth Fleet naval base in Bahrain in March 2026. Screengrab via Youtube


