Turkish media and analysts are openly mourning what they describe as a historic missed opportunity, after Israel finalized a $35 billion natural gas agreement with Egypt — a deal Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called “the largest gas agreement in Israel’s history.”
During the political talk show “The Thinking Room” on Turkey’s TVNET network, academics and former security officials analyzed Israel’s gas exports and what they see as Turkey’s strategic failure following October 7, 2023.
Retired Admiral Prof. Dr. Cihat Yaycı, a key architect of Turkey’s “Blue Homeland” maritime doctrine, questioned Egypt’s decision to cooperate with Israel amid regional tensions. “People are still dying. He occupies Syria and Lebanon — so why sign a $35 billion agreement?” Yaycı asked, adding that a similar deal with Turkey would have had enormous geopolitical implications.
Prof. Dr. Hasan Köni, an expert on international relations, explained Cairo’s stance bluntly: “Since the Morsi era, Egypt has been firmly opposed to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. That is their policy.”
