Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his objection to a potential U.S. sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, warning in an interview that such a move would upend the regional balance of power given what he called Ankara's "aggressive ambitions."
Mr. Netanyahu's comments to CNN came just hours after President Donald Trump met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of a NATO summit. Mr. Netanyahu said he had spoken with Mr. Trump several times ahead of the meeting.
"Everyone understands that despite President Trump's personal friendship with Erdogan, that doesn't make Turkey a friendly country toward the United States," Mr. Netanyahu said.
He accused Turkey of being influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood, threatening Greece, occupying territory in Cyprus, harboring Hamas, and imprisoning political opponents and journalists. "It is not exactly a model U.S. ally," Mr. Netanyahu said, adding that Mr. Erdogan has threatened to destroy Israel. "Turkey is not a force for peace and stability," he said.
Turning to U.S.-Israel relations, Mr. Netanyahu said he and Mr. Trump remain "real allies" despite occasional disagreements over Iran policy. He said it was too early to assess the implications of a temporary peace agreement recently signed between Washington and Tehran, noting Mr. Trump believes he can halt Iran's nuclear program while he himself remains skeptical. "On the important issues we agree, and occasionally we don't, but we are real allies," Mr. Netanyahu said.