The reasons why Turkey should not acquire the F-35 stealth US fighter jets explained in a full interview with the Jerusalem Post, Israel’s ambassador to the US, Jehiel Leiter.

Following the resignation of Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who was the US leadership’s privileged interlocutor, Leiter will be the Israeli government’s main channel to the White House.

Asked by the newspaper about a widening gap between the US desire to maintain close relations with Turkey and Israel’s frustration with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Leiter replied that “Erdogan has become hostile and belligerent, but Turkey is in a strategic geographic position.”

The goal, the ambassador argues, is “to form a functional, practical relationship on this issue,” reconciling Israel’s security imperatives with the reality that Ankara remains embedded in Western strategy.

“We understand the strategic importance of Turkey to the United States,” he says. “It’s a member of NATO, it has a large military, it’s in a strategic position. And we don’t dispute that.”

However, he adds, “we can’t have Turkish troops in Gaza or Syria. And these practical demands have not been challenged by the United States; they have been accepted.”

“We would prefer that Turkey not receive an F-35 from the US,” Leiter said, saying Israel had made its position clear. He explained that “we don’t think it’s constructive at this time. The United States will make its decision accordingly.”

Despite this, Leiter says differences between Israel and the US have not led to a crisis between the two allies. “We don’t have a point of disagreement right now. That’s what diplomacy is for. We explain our position, we appreciate our ally’s position and we develop a practical relationship.”

Importantly, he dismissed concerns about a possible deal between the US and Saudi Arabia on the F-35 and other arms deals between Washington and Arab countries. “There is no indication that Israel’s qualitative advantage will be compromised,” he said.

At the same time, as the Jerusalem Post points out, the ambassador rejects the idea that Israel should be concerned about any new arms package in the region. “We don’t live in fear,” he says. “Why should I live in fear that our qualitative advantage will be compromised? There is no reason to assume that this will happen.”

The “primary bond” between Israel and the United States, he also said, “is a bond of interest as deep and broad, as sincere and enduring as Israel’s.”