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Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has slammed Israel for undermining stability in neighboring Syria, days after the two countries held talks aimed at de-escalating tensions between them.
Speaking at a diplomacy forum in the southern resort city of Antalya on April 11, Erdogan said that Israel was turning minorities against Syria’s new government and threatening regional stability with its military actions.
“Israel is trying to dynamite the December 8 revolution by stirring up ethnic and religious affiliations and turning minorities in Syria against the government,” Erdogan said.
“Israel is turning into a problematic country that directly threatens the stability of the region, especially with its attacks on Lebanon and Syria,” Erdofan added, adding that the Israeli military campaign was disrupting efforts to combat ISIS.
Turkey, which backed Islamists-led forces that overthrew the regime of Bashar al-Assad last December, has been working to build a strategic alliance, including a defense pact, with the interim government installed by its allies in Syria. Meanwhile, Israel has been waging a military campaign to push the forces of Syria’s new Islamist-led government away from the occupied Golan Heights and destroy the military capabilities of the country.
Despite Erdogan’s loud remarks, Maariv reported on April 16, citing an Israeli official, that Turkey affirmed to Israel behind closed doors that it was not seeking a confrontation in Syria.
Turkey and Israel held talks in Azerbaijan aimed at finding ways to de-escalate growing tensions in Syria earlier this month.
The talks came following a wave of Israeli strikes that hit three air bases in central Syria, including one located near the ancient city of Palmyra, which were recently scouted by the Turkish military. Ankara was reportedly planning on deploying air defenses and combat drones there.
At the talks, Israel made it clear that any change in the deployment of foreign forces in Syria, and in particular the establishment of Turkish bases in Palmyra, would constitute crossing a red line and would be considered a breach of trust, according to Maariv.
The unnamed Israeli official told Maariv that the two sides agreed in Azerbaijan on a permanent mechanism to prevent military friction in Syria. The two sides also agreed to hold regular meetings on Syria, according to the source. However, a date and location for the next meeting have not yet been set.
The official also revealed that Israel was launching attacks in Syria “every day”, and stressed that the country “will not allow the new Syrian regime to gain strength and establish an army.”
Israel’s quick and powerful reaction has apparently forced Turkey to shelf its planned military expansion in Syria, at least for the time being.
This does not mean, however, that Israel was done with Syria. There is some truth to Erdogan’s claims that Israel was working to undermine stability in the country. Yet, Turkey’s Islamist allies in the country seem to be playing along, especially when it comes to pushing the minorities towards Israel.
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