For the last three years, Israel don dey attack no be only Palestinians for Gaza and the occupied West Bank but e don also strike some sovereign Middle East countries — from Lebanon go Syria, Yemen and most recently Iran — wey don reinforce im image as trouble-maker inside the volatile region.

While Türkiye, wey na NATO member, don dey pursue peaceful solutions to try end different conflicts from Ukraine to Gaza and Iran, Israel dey try use every dirty trick to stop Ankara peaceful efforts.

“Israel’s hostile attitude against Türkiye don specially increase for the last two years, dem dey send belligerent messages towards Ankara with military tone,” na so Gokhan Batu, political analyst wey dey Ankara on Israeli and Middle East politics, talk, dey refer to how tension don escalate for the region since October 7, 2023.

Türkiye don be one of the most vocal critics of Israel since Tel Aviv start the war for Gaza wey many people call genocidal, a war wey don kill hundred thousands and turn the Palestinian enclave to pile of rubble.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu don dey face heavy scrutiny for different parts of the world, and one global court even issue arrest warrant for am.

E still dey face increasing criticism inside Israel too, as political leaders, military officials and ordinary people dey show anger say im dey use war as tool to survive politically.

Batu talk sey Israel growing antagonism towards Türkiye suppose to dey seen inside the context of recent geopolitical shakings.

“This behaviour fit better to understand if you look Türkiye rising capacity for the Middle East and how e don turn to the only actor wey fit balance Israel for the region,” Batu tell TRT World.

Türkiye developing defence industry wey get proven record — from sophisticated drones to growing naval capabilities wey other states like Italy don adapt — dey make the hardliner Netanyahu government nervous, Batu talk.

Türkiye go host one critical NATO summit this summer, and for that time the Western alliance go get chance to look the rising geopolitical tensions well amid conflicts wey dey from Eastern Europe reach the Middle East.

Türkiye, wey na the second-largest army for NATO, and the UK just sign defence deal, and that one na another sign of Ankara security appeal to im Western allies.

Why NATO matters

Israel no dey happy about Türkiye NATO membership, because that membership dey stop Tel Aviv from openly oppose Ankara increasing presence for different areas, from Libya to Somalia and Syria, Ali Burak Daricili — academic for international relations department for Bursa Technical University — talk so.

Even with Israel current leadership wey Daricili describe as ‘radical theocratic’ and im aggressive moves, Türkiye go still remain rational political actor, e go dey respond to the Netanyahu government provocations for different regions in a rational way, Daricili tell TRT World.

While Türkiye dey try keep Somalia territorial integrity by mediating between Somalia and Ethiopia to help resolve their differences, Israel dey try destabilise the area by recognising the breakaway region of Somaliland as independent state.

Like East Africa matter, Türkiye also work hard to prevent and de-escalate war with Iran.

Even for Syria, while Israel still dey bomb different areas and dey support some ethnic and religious groups like the Druze against the new leadership for Damascus, Türkiye help the country move towards more stable nation-state with strong central government.

“E clear say Türkiye NATO membership na big obstacle to Netanyahu radical leadership,” Batu talk. Despite Israel propaganda against Türkiye, the Zionist state no fit decide Ankara membership inside the Western alliance, he add. “Na futile effort.”

Even though Türkiye don contribute to many missions — from Somalia to Kosovo, where e dey lead the alliance peace mission — the pro-Israeli lobby for the US and their supporters don dey publish controversial reports wey try create anti-Turkish perception inside the Western alliance.

“Although Israel no be official NATO member, the way dem dey frame criticisms through the lens of ‘NATO norms’ dey look like an external actor wey dey try shape internal debates inside the organisation,” Ozgur Korpe, academic for the National Defence University, talk.

“E dey appear say some pro-Israeli think tanks dey try redefine NATO collective threat hierarchy for the regional level, and they dey present Türkiye objections — wey dey based on im own national security priorities — as ‘intra-Alliance discord’ on purpose,” Korpe tell TRT World.

The questions about Türkiye role dey more connected to the multipolar nature of the global system than im military capacity, he note, but he also add say Ankara no be static actor wey just dey protect the alliance southeastern border like e be during the Cold War.

“E important make we remember say those wey dey question am no be NATO members and na only small group of chronic dissenters dem be,” he talk, referring to pro-Israeli voices.

Despite Israel propaganda machine, no be only Turkish people but also Western audiences for different NATO states don dey raise their voices against Israel genocidal conduct for Gaza and recent settler violence across occupied West Bank villages and towns.

Spain and most recently Italy, two NATO states wey belong to EU, don sharply criticise Israeli atrocities from Gaza to attacks on Iran, Daricili talk, showing say worry about Tel Aviv violent conduct for the Middle East dey grow for the Western world.

Analysts point say the transatlantic military alliance don survive many troubles before and e go still survive destabilising acts by Israel as well as differences with the US over defence spending.

Despite the growing strain between Washington and European capitals, NATO as whole expected to respond to Israel aggressive posture and any Iran war ‘rationally’, according to Daricili, wey be former Turkish intelligence officer.

“Without Turkish participation inside NATO, Europe no fit get real security architecture. Israel no fit decide the future of NATO.”

The Turkish academic add say Israel expansive policies across the region fit don reach their limits as the small country of about nine million dey show signs of exhaustion because of wars for many fronts, and Iran damaging attacks for different Israeli cities dey contribute to that.

Strategic autonomy

Experts also point out say Turkish leadership sabi the anti-Turkish Israeli propaganda wey dey for the US and other places, and dem don adopt policy of strategic autonomy to protect their political interests for different regions.

Beyond NATO membership wey give Ankara critical leverage, Türkiye biggest asset na im own national power base and political and military potential, wey dey show for how im defence industry dey grow and how im reach dey expand from North Africa to Azerbaijan and Pakistan, Batu talk.

While pro-Israeli voices for the US and some leading Israeli politicians like former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett dey try their best to undermine Türkiye rising political appeal across Eurasia — from Eastern Europe to the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia — Ankara no dey hesitate to continue on im path, Batu add.

“Türkiye probably go respond to Israel potential encirclement and isolation strategy by deepening im strategic autonomy even more,” Korpe say.

Ankara dey respond with proactive foreign policy against Israel adversarial approach and other negative regional equations wey fit try exclude Türkiye, Korpe add.

“Türkiye go continue to use im institutional position inside NATO and im geopolitical weight as diplomatic leverage to counter such initiatives.”