Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett delivered a stark warning this week, declaring that “Turkey is the new Iran” as he addressed the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem. Bennett described Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a “sophisticated and dangerous adversary” seeking to encircle Israel through expanding influence in Syria, Gaza, and beyond. According to Bennett, Ankara—working in coordination with Qatar—is backing Islamist movements across the region, creating what he called a tightening “choke ring” around the Jewish state.

Bennett argued that Turkey is attempting to undermine Israel’s developing ties with Saudi Arabia while advancing a broader Sunni alignment that could include nuclear-armed Pakistan. In his assessment, Israel now faces simultaneous threats from both Tehran and Ankara. He stressed that Israel must confront both fronts strategically and without delay. At the same time, Bennett turned inward, warning that internal division weakens national security. “A divided Israel will not survive,” he said, calling for renewed Zionist unity and new leadership to navigate what he described as the gravest crisis in Israel’s history.

SOURCE: WIN