Jonathan Schanzer

3 weeks ago | fdd.org | Reagan Easter |Sinan Ciddi |Jonathan Schanzer

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently declared Ankara would purchase an estimated $20 billion in American spare parts, ammunition, and electronics for its military. Turkey wants more than just spare parts. It wants to be re-admitted to the small club of countries that can purchase the advanced F-35 jet fighter. Turkey was booted from the program in 2019 for purchasing the Russian-made S-400 air defense system, defying explicit warnings from the Trump administration.

1 month ago | fdd.org | Jonathan Schanzer |Sinan Ciddi |Melissa Sacks

Turkey’s History of Hamas SupportThousands of people rallied at Istanbul’s iconic Galata Bridge on New Year’s Day 2025 in support of the Palestinian cause and to protest Israel. Bilal Erdogan, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s son, was among its speakers. Bilal spoke of the “martyrs” of Palestine, including Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the October 7, 2023, slaughter of 1,200 Israelis. This is, by now, barely newsworthy given Ankara’s long track record of pro-Hamas rhetoric.

1 month ago | fdd.org | Reagan Easter |Jonathan Schanzer |Sinan Ciddi

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking forgiveness. Last week, he asked President Trump to re-admit Turkey to the fifth generation stealth F-35 fighter jet program, from which it was booted in 2019 after acquiring a Russian air defense system that poses a significant cyber threat to NATO. But Trump would be ill-advised to accede to Erdogan’s request.

1 month ago | thehill.com | Jonathan Schanzer |Sinan Ciddi

Last week, he asked President Trump to re-admit Turkey to the fifth generation stealth F-35 fighter jet program, from which it was booted in 2019 after acquiring a Russian air defense system that poses a significant cyber threat to NATO. But Trump would be ill-advised to accede to Erdogan’s request. Turkey was kicked out of the F-35 program because it acquired the Russian manufactured S-400 air defense system, despite clear warnings from Washington and other NATO allies.

Jan 17, 2025 | fdd.org | Clifford May |Jonathan Schanzer |Richard Goldberg

A few facts central to any discussion of a deal between Israel and Hamas:On Oct. 6, 2023. Gaza was not occupied. No Israelis lived there. No Israeli soldiers patrolled there. Gaza was not an open-air prison. It had schools, malls, libraries, hospitals, restaurants, sandy beaches. Hamas initiated a war on Oct. 7, 2023 by staging the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Hamas could have brought a halt to this war at any time by releasing the hostages and laying down their weapons.