Netanyahu Seeking Political Gain by Framing Turkey as Israel’s New Enemy: Former US Ambassador

Francis J. Ricciardone, former US Ambassador to Turkey, has claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to portray Turkey as Israel’s new enemy for political gain, particularly ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections in October.
Speaking on an Arab media news program, Ricciardone said a large campaign billboard had been put up on a main highway in Tel Aviv depicting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan alongside Iran, Hezbollah, and the Mayor of New York as opponents of Israel. The billboard reportedly states that Erdogan wants to defeat Netanyahu and that he must not be allowed to succeed.
According to international media reports, just days after these banners appeared, Turkey became the focus of a new military escalation with Israel. Israeli fighter jets struck the Abu al-Zuhur air base in northern Syria, with Israeli officials saying the strike was aimed at countering an alleged buildup of Turkish military presence there.
With less than two months remaining before Israeli elections, the timing of the strike has sparked intense debate both within Israel and abroad over whether it was a preemptive response to a genuine threat or an exaggeration of the threat for electoral gain. Reports note that Netanyahu has long portrayed himself as a strong guardian of Israel’s security and has previously demonstrated an ability to convert crises into political advantage.
Turkey, the United States, and some of Netanyahu’s political opponents within Israel have also questioned the timing of the strike. Turkey rejected the Israeli position as unacceptable, stating that Netanyahu is interested in pursuing policies that create instability in the region. Erdogan’s government has said it will continue cooperating with the Syrian government to establish peace, stability, and prosperity in Syria.