ZOA to U.S.: Don’t Sell F-35 War Planes to Turkey’s Genocidal, Iranian-Russian-China-Iran-Hamas-Allied Regime – Sale Endangers U.S., Israel and Others
Sales to Turkey Should Be Included in QME Calculations
Turkish Pres. Erdogan and FM Fidan Called for Genocide of Jews
Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) National President Morton A. Klein, ZOA Director of Research and Special Projects Liz Berney, Esq., and ZOA Director of Government Relations Dan Pollak released the following statement:
ZOA urges U.S. not to sell F-35 stealth war planes to Turkey. ZOA is deeply alarmed by indications that during President Trump’s meeting with Turkish President Recip Tayyip Erdogan, during the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8, President Trump may enable Türkiye’s (a.k.a Turkey’s) genocidal Iranian-Russian-China-Pakistani-Iran-Hamas-allied regime to purchase fifth generation F-35 stealth fighter jets, and is unblocking the sale of $700 million of F-110 jet engines to power Türkiye’s fifth generation KAAN stealth combat jet. The KAAN combat jet will compete with and undermine worldwide sales of American defense systems. ZOA calls upon Congress and the administration to prohibit dangerous F-35 stealth fighter jet sales, and F-110 jet engine sales to Türkiye. Further, ZOA urges that Türkiye needs to be included as a “regional nation” when evaluating whether an arms sale to regional nations violates Israel’s QME (qualitative military edge).
There have been multiple concerning developments. Vice President Vance stated on June 24, 2026 that the administration is reviewing how the U.S. can sell the F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye (despite laws forbidding the sale and Congressional objections). U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack likened Israel to Hezbollah (calling both “equally untrustworthy”), has remained silent about Turkiye’s support for Hamas and Iran (including installing early warning systems to assist Iran), and said in April that preventing Türkiye from obtaining F-35s was “insane” and that a breakthrough was “imminent.” At the NATO Summit last August, Erdogan stated that Türkiye and the U.S. had begun talks regarding relieving Türkiye from CAATSA sanctions and readmitting Türkiye into the F-35 program.
CAATSA (the Countering American Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) authorizes imposing sanctions against entities conducting significant transactions with Russia’s defense or intelligence sectors – such as Türkiye, which despite repeated warnings from the U.S., obtained S-400 surface-to-air missile defense systems from Russia during the first Trump administration. On June 4, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee that Türkiye was banned from obtaining the F-35, and is still under mandatory statutory sanctions in the NDAA [National Defense Authorization Act, Section 1245] forbidding Türkiye from obtaining the F-35, because Türkiye purchased the S-400 air defense system from Russia.
F-35 sales to Türkiye/Turkey would endanger and compromise the defense capabilities of the United States and our steadfast allies, including Israel and Greece. Last August, a letter from 40 bipartisan Congressmembers who are concerned about U.S. security explained that:
“The S-400 poses a direct threat to U.S. aircraft, including the F-16 and F-35. If operated alongside these platforms, it risks exposing sensitive military technology to Russian intelligence. The F-35 is the cornerstone of U.S. aerial superiority and a pillar of allied defense cooperation. The program is also a major driver of our defense industrial base, and represents decades of American innovation, investment, and technological leadership. Nearly a decade later, Turkey still possesses S-400 systems and has shown no willingness to comply with U.S. law. This behavior cannot be rewarded. Lifting sanctions or allowing Turkey back into the F-35 program without first removing its S-400s would jeopardize the integrity of F-35 systems; expose U.S. military secrets to Russian intelligence; undermine our defense industrial base and allied confidence in purchasing future U.S. platforms; and disrupt development of the next-generation fighter jet recently announced by the Administration.”
A few days ago, on July 2, 2026, more bipartisan Congressmembers wrote to President Trump opposing the F-35, etc. sales to Türkiye, citing the “major security threat” posed by Türkiye’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 system; U.S. laws preventing the sale; and Erdogan’s aggressive actions towards Greece, military presence in occupied Cyprus, growing anti-Israel rhetoric, maintenance of bilateral relations with Iran, unreliability as a NATO partner, and further antagonistic actions towards the U.S. and our NATO allies.
The Armenian National Committee, CUFI (Christians United for Israel) and Armenian Assembly of America and Israel and Greece also oppose the sale. The Armenian Assembly notes that “Providing Turkey with one of America’s most advanced defense platforms rewards a government that has repeatedly destabilized the region” and supported aggression against Armenians. Israel said “don’t sell F-35 war planes to Turkey as it openly calls for Israel’s destruction, occupies parts of Cyprus, and promotes extremist ideology. It would upset the balance of power in the Mideast and Turkey, which finances and harbors Hamas terrorists, and has growing and dangerous regional ambitions.”
Indeed, even if Türkiye eliminates all its S-400 systems, the U.S. should not sell F-35s and F-110s to Türkiye at this time when Türkiye is boldly proclaiming its genocidal ambitions towards Israel; assisting Hamas and Iran; adopting measures towards regional hegemony; developing a forward missile base in Somalia; joining forces with enemy regimes including China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran; and closing its airspace, bases and waters to the U.S. during the war with Iran.
Turkey’s President & Foreign Minister Calls For the Genocide of Jews & Israel’s Destruction
On July 2, 2026, on CNN Turk, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called Israel’s people a problem and “burden on humanity” that all of humanity can no longer bear, and demanded that everyone must sanction and step up against the Israeli people. Fidan also threatened “not to hesitate or back down” from confronting Israel and her people. And on June 27, 2026, in an address to his Islamist AKP (“Justice & Development) party, Turkish Pres. Erdogan claimed that “the genocidal, occupying, and expansionist ideology called Zionism . . . threatens not only me, not only our party, and not only our alliance, but everyone” and called for “fighting” Zionism. It is absurd for Erdogan to call Israel “expansionist” when Turkey’s 302,000 square miles (36th largest country in the world) are about 15 times the size of tiny Israel (150th in the world). It is Turkey that seeks to expand to destroy many in the region.
Indeed, also in June, Türkiye’s interior minister said that Türkiye would “liberate” Jerusalem and “return it to Turkish hands.” And Erdogan again spread blood libels on July 4 (see below.)
As Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accurately responded, “Turkish FM Hakan Fidan’s sickening words are textbook incitement to genocide. Dehumanizing the Jewish people as an ‘unbearable burden’ is the classic, horrific language of history’s worst eliminationist regimes. The civilized world and Turkey’s NATO allies must unequivocally condemn this explicit call for the erasure of Israel.” Unfortunately, the civilized world has been silent.
Türkiye’s expanding ties with U.S. adversaries China and Russia include 150 Chinese companies active in Türkiye’s digital infrastructure, including telecommunications linked to espionage and cyber risks; and associating as a dialogue partner with the Chinese and Russian-led Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) that projects Chinese power throughout the world.
And on Saturday July 4, 2026, Erdogan announced a new military, IT and energy cooperation agreement with nuclear-armed Pakistan during a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul; and said that Israel “must not be allowed to spread the smell of gunpowder and blood in our region again.”
Meanwhile, hypocritical, genocidal Erdogan is helping Hamas and Hezbollah “spread the smell of gunpowder and blood” in the region. Erdogan and Fidan host and often meet with top Hamas officials; protect and give a home in Türkiye to U.S.-sanctioned convicted Hamas terrorists-murderers and leading operatives, who use their base in Türkiye to obtain funding and propaganda for Hamas, and orchestrate major terror attacks on Israel; and observe national days of mourning for former Hamas leaders. Erdogan repeatedly calls Hamas a “resistance” group and “liberation” group and denies that Hamas is a terrorist group; and falsely accuses Israel of committing genocide.
In addition, Türkiye is building another front to the southeast of Israel – a forward operating base in coastal Warsheikh, Somalia, within medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) range (approximately 1740 miles) from southern Israel.
Erdogan has also backed the slaughter of Christians in Syria and Kurds. Also, over the past decade, Erdogan arrested over half a million (511,000) of his own citizens, as well as fired and canceled 150,000 passports of Turkish citizens, and extradited or illegally kidnapped 100 Turkish citizens from foreign nations, for supposedly being involved in a failed purported coup in 2016 used by Erdogan to purge opponents.
In sum, it would be extremely dangerous to enable Türkiye to obtain the F-35 and other advanced military hardware.
ZOA strongly urges Congress, religious leaders, Jewish leaders, academic leaders, editorials and all American citizens to demand that this potential sale be stopped. You can reach your Congressmember by calling 202-224-3121.