OUR DAILY THREAD: Netanyahu's Kill List
He's talking Türkiye
THE SET-UP: On June 21, 2026, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supposedly revealed a new doctrine:
We changed Israel's security doctrine.
We initiate.
We attack.
We surprise.
And we attack those enemies that seek our destruction, that seek to kill us. We attack them before they have a chance to do so. If you know Hebrew, הקם להורגך, השכם להורגו. Kill them first.
If you don’t know Hebrew, here’s the widely accepted translation: “If someone comes to kill you, rise early to kill him first.” That phrase comes from the Talmud and it is explained thusly by the Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center:
These mysterious creations, human men and women, are important. Every single one of them. Their lives are precious and cannot be thrown away. Murder is forbidden for both Jew and non-Jew. However, if a person tragically is trying to destroy others, and if despotic leaders persuade their people to engage in and to support acts of destruction, one must defend oneself, even preemptively. “If someone comes to kill you, rise early to kill him first,” says the Talmud (Sanhedrin 72a). The Lubavitcher Rebbe adds that your clear readiness to defend yourself could save your enemy’s life as well as your own.
“However” is the operative word. Along with the Torah’s call to commit genocide against the ancient Amalekites, it’s an invitation to preemptive war Netanyahu has used and expanded to justify the brutal rules of engagement that wiped out entire families in Gaza and left thousands of children dead, maimed or orphaned … despite the fact that they were not combatants.
That’s the perilously thin line that exists between preemptively killing someone who is setting up a rocket launcher and someone who happens to live in an apartment building where someone sent a text message to another someone about his or her desire to launch a rocket. Maybe it was sent in anger after an Israeli strike killed their entire extended family. If so, is that person fair game? Is there a set of benchmarks that have to be met? When does one’s opposition to the Israeli government become a threat to Israel? Where is the line?
These questions are both trenchant and ominous in light of the pager attack on Hezbollah. As far as Israel was concerned, it didn’t matter if you were a school teacher or a medic or an armed fighter … any link to Hezbollah was enough. The same has been true about Hamas in Gaza. Frankly, proximity was all they needed to “rise and kill” in Gaza, and it has been since Israel pulled out and gave it to Hamas, along with giving it money to survive as a rationale for not negotiating a final settlement.
In fact, the “Rise and Kill First” doctrine has been around for years and it spawned a covert assassination program that killed dozens of Iranian scientists and researchers. It obviously informed Netanyahu’s 20 year-long campaign to convince the US to attack Iran. And it explains his exhortations to attack Iraq. And his current campaign in Lebanon.
Now, Netanyahu—who enjoyed a long relationship with the Lubavitcher movement left behind by Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, a controversial, messianic religious leader based in Crown Heights, Brooklyn until his death in 1994—is expanding the doctrine again.
The next preemptive war?
Türkiye.
While it will probably come as a surprise to most Americans, the campaign to target Türkiye has been in motion for a while. But the Iran War emboldened its advocates to speak publicly of a strategy that’s been largely obscured. One such advocate is former PM Naftali Bennett. A political foe of Netanyahu, they are (of course) on the same page about Türkiye. In February, Bennett gave a speech in which he proclaimed: “Türkiye is the new Iran.”
Now, Netanyahu is rolling out the same laundry list he used to exhort the US to attack Iraq and Iran. It was probably as simple as using “find and replace” to insert “Türkiye” where Iraq and Iran appeared on the list. The unoriginality of the argument is evident in a Times of Israel summary of Netanyahu’s appearance today on CNN:
Netanyahu on CNN accuses Turkey of being “infected” with the Muslim Brotherhood, threatening EU states, occupying Cyprus, harboring Hamas, and throwing political opponents and journalists in jail.
…and…
“He’s not exactly a model ally of the United States,” says Netanyahu, adding that Erdogan threatens to destroy Israel.
Turkey has “aggressive aspirations,” he says.
“This is not a force for peace and stability,” Netanyahu continues, arguing that giving Turkey F-35s will bring “aggression in its wake.”
Türkiye’s purchase of F-35s has been blocked by Congress since Türkiye purchased a Russian S-400 air defense system in 2019. Blocking the sale has been one of Israel’s priorities. But now Trump is threatening to bypass Congress and bring Türkiye back into the F-35 program. The issue for Netanyahu is not one of military capabilities per se. Rather, he knows full-well that it would cement Türkiye’s relationship with Washington.
That’s what the purchase of advance weapons systems does for nations like Saudi Arabia and Poland … become a customer in Uncle Sam’s Military Hardware store and you enter into a special club with exclusive privileges … like those enjoyed by the Saudis … and the by the Israelis, for that matter. A nation with a long-term deal with Lockheed Martin for upgrades and repairs and maintenance can get away with a lot … like the Israelis do and have for decades.
Keeping Türkiye and the United States apart is crucial to the “Kill Firsters” who plan on turning Türkiye into “the new Iran.” But preemption is a tricky thing. Just ask the architects of the Iraq War. Or anyone who got stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. Now imagine how tricky it will get if the NATO alliance doesn’t break-up and Türkiye is a loyal customer. - jp
Turkey and future threats
https://www.jns.org/opinion/shmuel-katz/turkey-and-future-threats
Turkey Is a Bigger Threat to Israel Than Iran
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/turkey-is-a-bigger-threat-to-israel-than-iran/
Israel-Greece Air Force drill sends message in Turkey’s backyard
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/07/06/israeli-air-force-drill-with-greece-sends-signal-in-turkeys-backyard/
Israel Must Start Arming the PKK
https://www.meforum.org/mef-observer/israel-must-start-arming-the-pkk
Israel’s ‘kill first’ strategy is now aimed at Turkey. Will the region respond?
https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/israels-kill-first-strategy-now-aimed-turkey-will-region-respond
Why renewed Egypt-Turkey military cooperation concerns Israel
https://www.newarab.com/analysis/why-renewed-egypt-turkey-military-cooperation-concerns-israel
Saudi-Turkish Rail Corridor Raises Concerns in Israel
https://alhurra.com/en/25651
The Syrian Radar Threat: Jerusalem Fears Turkish Advanced Tracking Systems Will Block Air Force Flights to Iran
https://www.jfeed.com/middleeast/turkish-radar-syria-israel-iran
Sa’ar: I hope F-35 sale to Turkey won’t happen, US supports ‘critical’ need to preserve Israel’s military edge
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/saar-i-hope-f-35-sale-to-turkey-wont-happen-us-supports-critical-need-to-preserve-israels-military-edge/
Netanyahu Warns U.S. Sale of F-35 Jets to Turkey Would ‘Upset Balance of Power’
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-07-06/ty-article/.premium/netanyahu-warns-u-s-sale-of-f-35-jets-to-turkey-would-upset-balance-of-power/0000019f-380a-d269-af9f-3edf1d630000
WATCH: Netanyahu slams Turkey as ‘Hamas harborers,’ opposes F-35 sale
https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-netanyahu-slams-turkey-as-hamas-harborers-opposes-f-35-sale/
Israel’s diaspora minister calls Erdogan a ‘grotesque hybrid of Hitler and Sinwar’
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-901665
Netanyahu warns Turkey should not get F-35s, citing Erdoğan’s hostility toward NATO allies
https://www.foxnews.com/media/netanyahu-warns-turkey-should-not-get-f-35s-citing-erdogan-hostility-toward-nato-allies
Erdogan hopes for positive outcome on Turkey’s F-35 bid after Trump meeting
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2616972/trump-says-he-will-lift-turkiye-sanctions-decide-on-f-35-fighter-jet-sale
Trump signals support for F-35s to Turkey despite Israeli objections
https://worldisraelnews.com/trump-expected-to-back-f-35-sale-to-turkey-despite-israeli-concerns/
Trump says US will lift sanctions on Türkiye during Erdogan meeting
https://en.yenisafak.com/world/trump-announces-us-will-lift-sanctions-on-turkiye-3720535
Trump Spurs Europe and Israel to Embrace A Rising NATO Ally in Middle East
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-spurs-europe-israel-embrace-turkey-12167671
Türkiye says Ankara NATO summit opens ‘new chapter’ for alliance’s defense industry
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/turkiye/turkiye-says-ankara-nato-summit-opens-new-chapter-for-alliances-defense-industry/3989538
Turkish defense firm Baykar’s CEO urges stronger NATO cooperation on drone capabilities
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/turkish-defense-firm-baykar-s-ceo-urges-stronger-nato-cooperation-on-drone-capabilities/3989580
NATO militaries aim to have 5 times as many drone operators ready for a new kind of war by the end of next year
https://www.businessinsider.com/nato-increasing-trained-drone-operators-ready-ukraine-lessons-2026-7
NATO Seeks To Strengthen Strike, Space, Missile Defense Capabilities
https://aviationweek.com/defense/budget-policy-operations/nato-seeks-strengthen-strike-space-missile-defense-capabilities
Israel wants to build space attack lasers now
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/laser-israel-space/
Israel’s Powerful ‘Iron Beam’ Laser Is Going Airborne - Here’s How
https://www.bgr.com/2204101/israel-iron-beam-laser-technology-going-airborne/
Israel’s defense boom pushes high-tech employment to record high
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/sjhkvv5qme
Washington is subsidizing Israel’s booming global arms trade
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/israel-arms-exports/
How Congress manipulates its own rules to make sure Israel still gets its weapons
https://mondoweiss.net/2026/07/how-congress-manipulates-its-own-rules-to-make-sure-israel-still-gets-its-weapons/