ANKARA: Turkiye 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 Turkiye, 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 United States not to sell the jets to NATO ally Turkiye, 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 Turkiye looking to secure F110 jet engines and regaining access to the F-35 program.

Analysts say Turkiye 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 United States, China and Russia.

In 2019, Washington expelled Turkiye from the F-35 program two years after Ankara acquired a Russian S-400 missile defense 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 Turkiye 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 opposes jet sales to Turkiye

Speaking Monday on the morning show “Fox & Friends,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the US not to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkiye, saying that Erdogan “calls openly for the annihilation of Israel.”

Turkiye and Israel have acrimonious relations. Erdogan frequently accuses Israel of committing genocide in its war in Gaza, triggered by the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel.

Netanyahu said selling Turkey F-35s would “upset the power balance in the Middle East, which is ultimately guaranteed by Israeli air superiority and also, I think, by America’s posture in the Middle East.”

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