Former Israeli-American spy Jonathan Pollard has sparked widespread debate after commenting on what he described as a future war involving the Israeli occupation state, warning that “the storm is coming” and arguing that Tel Aviv must prepare for new regional confrontations following Iran.
Speaking during a podcast hosted by the Hebrew outlet Arutz Sheva, Pollard said the occupation state could face more complex challenges in dealing with Ankara and Cairo than it did with Tehran.
“I’m not sure we will face the Turks as easily as we faced the Iranians,” Pollard said, adding, “We need to prepare for the next war, which may be against Turkey and Egypt.”
He also warned against allowing the Ankara-backed Syrian government to regain southern territories currently under the control of Israeli occupation forces, arguing that such a development would effectively place “the Turks on our border.”
While suggesting that further confrontations could emerge, Pollard said he hoped Israel would avoid war with Turkey or Egypt. However, he added that “hope was the last demon to leave Pandora’s box,” implying that relying solely on de-escalation may not be enough to prevent future conflict.
Pollard’s remarks come amid growing tensions between Turkey and the Israeli occupation state after the latest efforts to restore relations between the two sides collapsed following Tel Aviv’s launch of its genocidal war on Gaza on 7 October 2023.
Pollard was convicted in 1985 of spying for Tel Aviv and passing classified American intelligence to Israeli authorities. He served 30 years in United States prisons before being released in 2015 and later relocating to the occupation state.
Since obtaining Israeli citizenship, Pollard has become closely associated with far-right political circles. He has emerged as a supporter of extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and has backed hardline policies targeting Palestinians, including support for the expansion of illegal settlements.
