Israel will not let the dream of ‘Caliph’ Erdogan come true, is preparing for a big war with Turkey

Israel has been at war with Hamas for the past year. It has also launched attacks against Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Iran. Now Israel is going to prepare for war with NATO member Turkey. In its report related to the defense budget and security strategy, the Nagel Committee has asked Israel to be ready for a direct conflict with Turkey.

The Israeli government formed this committee. The committee has said that Turkey’s desire is to restore the power of the devastated Ottoman Empire. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s desire to become the caliph of the Muslim world could increase tensions with Israel, possibly turning into a conflict.

According to the report of the Jerusalem Post, it was said that the rebel groups in Syria may join hands with Turkey, which may create a new and greater threat to the security of Israel. These groups can act as proxies for Turkey, increasing regional instability. The committee believes that in such a situation, Syria will become a bigger threat to Israel than Iran. The committee’s assessment comes amid Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s increasingly assertive policies in the Middle East, which are seen as anti-Israel.

Asked to increase the strength of the committee

The Nagel committee presented its recommendations to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday. The committee not only highlighted the threats but also drew up a comprehensive strategy to counter them. The committee has suggested increasing the defense budget by 15 billion shekels ($4.13 billion) per year over the next five years, to prepare the Israeli army (IDF) to face Turkish and other regional threats.

These are the recommendations of the committee

• The committee has emphasized on increasing the number of additional F-15 fighter jets, air refueling aircraft, drones and satellites to strengthen the long-range strike capability.

• According to the committee, Israel should increase the capability of David’s Sling, Arrow system and new iron beam laser based defense system.

• The committee recommended building a strong security barrier along the Jordan Valley, which would be a significant change in Israel’s defense strategy. However, this could lead to diplomatic problems with Jordan.