Netanyahu reveals split with Trump on Turkey policy

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a rare press briefing today (Sunday), of the kind he typically convenes during election seasons, and presented reporters with a document outlining Israel's new security doctrine. During the briefing, held just days before the election, Netanyahu answered questions from the press and addressed tensions with Turkey, relations with Russia, and the possibility of another campaign against Iran.

The new security doctrine: offense instead of containment

The document he presented, titled "Security Doctrine, Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister," lists the main threats facing Israel and ten principles meant to guide security policy in the coming years.

Among the threats the document names: nuclear weapons, precision missiles, drones and UAVs, cyber, artificial intelligence, illegal weapons inside Israel, the development of hostile regional axes, and attempts at delegitimization and international isolation.

At the heart of the doctrine is a shift from a policy of containment to one of prevention, initiative, and offense. The ten principles include preventing nuclear weapons, deterrence, early warning, initiative and deception, border defense, building alliances, technological independence, the battle for consciousness, striving for victory, and strengthening the spirit of the people.

Netanyahu also emphasized the need to expand Israel's independence in producing combat systems and to increase the defense budget, saying he is allocating approximately 450 billion shekels to building future security capabilities.

"One of the things we don't agree on is Turkey"

One of the most striking statements in the briefing against the backdrop of the presentation of the Erdoğan-led Axis and the new policy of preempting the enemy. We asked whether Israel is preparing for a military confrontation with Turkey, and how this is affected by the close relationship between US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Netanyahu confirmed that there is a disagreement between him and Trump on the issue: "Usually we see eye to eye, but he leads the United States and he looks out for the United States, and he makes his decisions. And I'm the prime minister of Israel, and I look out for the future of the Jewish state, and that's not always the same thing. One of the things we don't agree on is Turkey."

When asked whether Israel could reach a military confrontation with Turkey, Netanyahu replied: "Look, fortunately we haven't gotten there. They wanted to expand their deployment from northern Syria into an air base. We prevented that, we acted."

Netanyahu added that he would be happy to see relations with Turkey return to being warm, but does not believe that is possible under Erdoğan's rule. "I hope we don't reach a head-on collision. That's what I'm trying to do, at least," he said, emphasizing that Israel is taking different possibilities into account and preparing for them through regional alliances as well.

Criticism of Russia: "Bots against Israel in the crudest antisemitism"

In an unusual reference to relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Netanyahu leveled criticism at Moscow's conduct and issued a warning to Putin. According to him, the two speak as needed, but the interests of the two countries do not always align.

Netanyahu pointed to Russian cooperation with Iran during the war in Ukraine and said this is a move contrary to Israeli interests.

He later also addressed online activity against Israel: "For example, the fact that there are networks, a campaign of bots against the State of Israel in the crudest antisemitism there can be."

Netanyahu made clear that Israel raises these issues clearly with Russia, but continues to cooperate with it when there are shared interests.

The new directive to security bodies: topple the Iranian regime

Another significant statement touched on Iran. Netanyahu declared that the Israeli goal is no longer limited to striking the nuclear program, but also includes toppling the ayatollahs' regime.

"Our plan is a very comprehensive and very determined plan to bring about the fall of the regime. That's my plan. That's the directive I gave to all the security bodies, and that's also what will be," Netanyahu said.

When asked whether Israel needs American consent to act, he clarified: "The goals I set are not dependent on American consent," and added: "And to the extent necessary, we will also act independently. We've already done it, and if we need to, we'll do it again."

Following the Fly Dubai affair: "We need to vet the teams"

Netanyahu also addressed the security failure exposed in the Fly Dubai affair, and said he has already received initial conclusions from the investigation conducted on the matter.

"Now we need to vet the teams," the prime minister said, and clarified that this is an international challenge that requires a change in the aviation security apparatus and cooperation with additional countries.