As the likelihood of a U.S. strike on Iran grows, Israeli political leaders are increasingly turning their attention to another regional power: Türkiye, signaling a possible search for a new strategic rival even as tensions with Tehran remain high.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who is widely expected to run in this year’s elections, last week publicly labeled Türkiye a threat to Israel, accusing Ankara of aligning itself with a hostile regional bloc.
Speaking at a conference, Bennett warned that Israel must not “turn a blind eye” to Türkiye and described it as part of a regional axis “similar to the Iranian one,” adding that Israel must act simultaneously against threats from both Tehran and Ankara.
Bennett’s remarks reflect a broader shift in tone among Israeli politicians in recent months, according to a report on Doha-based Al Jazeera.
While Iran has long been Israel’s principal adversary, Türkiye has emerged as a frequent target of criticism as Ankara sharply condemns Israel’s actions toward Palestinians and its genocidal war in Gaza, while also strengthening ties with regional powers such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reinforced this narrative Sunday, announcing plans to build a new “hexagon” of alliances aimed at countering what he called an “emerging ... Sunni axis.”
Speaking as he confirmed an upcoming visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Netanyahu said the proposed bloc would include countries such as Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, both of which have strained relations with Türkiye.
Analysts speaking to Al Jazeera said the timing of the rhetoric toward Türkiye, even as Israel presses for confrontation with Iran, is not accidental.
Former Israeli Ambassador Alon Pinkas said Israeli leaders often rely on a constant sense of external threat to mobilize public support, arguing that the specific adversary matters less than the perception of danger.
Israel has been in a near-constant state of conflict since the Hamas incursion of Oct. 7, 2023, followed by its genocidal war in Gaza, military operations in Lebanon, Yemen and Syria, and renewed moves toward annexation in the occupied West Bank. Against that backdrop, analysts say, talk of new threats and alliances fits a broader push for Israeli regional dominance.
Despite shared rhetoric, Israel-Türkiye relations differ sharply from Israel’s hostility toward Iran. The two countries have decades of pragmatic ties and Türkiye is a NATO member.
Relations deteriorated significantly after Israel’s 2010 raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla that killed 10 Turkish activists and have worsened further under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an outspoken critic of Israel.
Still, analysts argue that equating Ankara with Tehran overstates the case. Pinkas noted that Türkiye has never denied Israel’s right to exist or threatened its destruction, calling comparisons between the two countries "ridiculous."
Others warn that the rhetoric carries risks. Chatham House analyst Yossi Mekelberg told Al Jazeera that while much of the talk may be deflection from Iran, escalating language toward Türkiye could eventually harden into real confrontation.
