Turkey's regional influence scrutinized by Israeli press amid Erdogan‑Trump talks

Israeli media outlets analysed Turkey's growing regional role, noting that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s dialogue with U.S. President Donald Trump at the NATO summit was closely followed in Israel. A Maariv analysis described the situation as "we took a slap from Turkey" and highlighted Turkey’s strategic position between Europe and the Middle East, its control of the Bosporus and Dardanelles, and its proximity to Iran, Iraq and Syria. The piece argued that Turkey’s expanding military capacity, defence projects and joint exercises with regional partners make it a key actor in Middle‑East security.

The Jerusalem Post also commented on the Erdogan‑Trump dialogue, using a "back‑stab" metaphor to describe Israeli officials' concerns. Commentators linked Turkey’s diplomatic outreach, economic ties and cooperation with Russia and China to broader shifts in regional power balances, suggesting that Israel is closely monitoring Turkey’s moves for implications on its own security and foreign‑policy agenda.