Why Israel must play Turkey’s game to counter Ankara’s growing influence

As Turkey increasingly solidifies its position within NATO and enhances its strategic value to the Western alliance, Israeli complaints about Turkish rhetoric will carry limited weight in Washington. Turkey is demonstrating what analysts are calling NATO 3.0 credentials — proving itself an indispensable partner through military capability, intelligence sharing, and proven operational effectiveness that extends far beyond Europe’s borders.
The challenge for Israel is that American decision-makers, particularly in the Biden administration, view Turkey through a geopolitical lens that prioritises NATO cohesion and Middle Eastern stability. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has skillfully positioned Ankara as a bridge between the West and the Muslim world, making Turkey too strategically important to isolate over rhetoric that, however inflammatory, remains within the bounds of diplomatic discourse.
Israeli officials have long attempted to influence American policy towards Turkey through protests about anti-Israel statements and support for Palestinian causes. However, this approach has proven largely ineffective against the backdrop of Turkey’s demonstrated military and intelligence value to NATO. The drone technology, cyber capabilities, and regional influence that Turkey brings to the alliance give Ankara considerable leverage in international forums.
To meaningfully counter Turkey’s growing influence with Washington, Israel cannot rely on complaints alone. Instead, Israeli policymakers argue that the country must prove its own irreplaceable value through cutting-edge technology, superior intelligence capabilities, and demonstrable military prowess. This is a competition Israel can win — but only by competing on the same metrics that make Turkey indispensable to the West. The race is on to demonstrate which Middle Eastern ally offers Washington more strategic advantage.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.