Middle East Eye: Turkish officials now say they believe the Israeli intelligence report was probably a ruse by Netanyahu’s government to portray itself as protecting Trump, derail negotiations with Iran and undermine Trump’s apparently close relationship with Erdogan.
During his meeting with the Turkish head of state the day before the alleged assassination plot, Trump also signalled that he was prepared to lift sanctions imposed on Turkey over its 2019 purchase of the Russian-made S-400 missile system and to sell F-35 fighter jets to Ankara. Netanyahu also strongly opposes F-35 sales to Ankara, arguing that it would change the balance of power in the region, eroding Israel’s “Qualitative Military Edge“…