Israel is quietly pressuring the United Arab Emirates to reject Turkey's offer to sell its Russian-made S-400 missile sy...

Israel is quietly pressuring the United Arab Emirates to reject Turkey's offer to sell its Russian-made S-400 missile systems, according to Forbes and reporting from Turkish outlet Haber7. The move is stalling what could have been a major arms deal between Ankara and Abu Dhabi. Turkey has been trying to offload the S-400s to satisfy U.S. conditions under the CAATSA sanctions law, which requires Turkey to fully remove the systems from its territory before Washington will even discuss restoring Ankara's access to the F-35 fighter jet program. Russia has signaled it would allow the transfer to a friendly third country, provided its own conditions are met, effectively removing the one major obstacle from Moscow's side. But Israel has stepped in to block it. Turkish analyst Mehmet Acet, writing for Haber7 on September 23, cited an unnamed source saying the real reason the UAE deal has not been finalized is Israeli lobbying in Abu Dhabi. According to Acet, Israel exercises considerable influence over UAE leadership and has so far succeeded in keeping a final decision off the table. The motive is straightforward. Israel does not want Turkey back in the F-35 program. If Ankara unloads the S-400s, CAATSA sanctions get lifted, and Turkey rejoins the fifth-generation fighter program. Israel views Turkish access to F-35s as a direct threat to its military edge in the region and to the current strategic balance across the Middle East. The U.S. framework remains strict regardless. Washington wants guarantees that neither Turkish nor Russian personnel will have access to the transferred systems, and any sanctions relief requires either congressional approval or at least no congressional opposition, a bar that remains high given continued skepticism about Turkey's strategic alignment. For now, the deal is stuck, and Israel intends to keep it that way. #Turkey #F35 #MiddleEast