Turkey Rejects Escalation with Israel in Syria and Calls for Diplomatic Solutions

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Ankara “does not want any confrontation with Israel in Syria,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed.

In an interview on the sidelines of the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Fidan stated that Israel’s actions in Syria “pave the way for future instability in the region.”

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The administration of Syrian President Ahmed al-Shar is considered a close ally of Turkey.

Fidan added that if the new leadership in Damascus seeks to reach “certain understandings” with Israel, that is their own affair.

Turkey, a NATO member, has strongly criticized Israel over its continued attacks on Gaza since 2023, stating that they amount to a “genocide” against the Palestinians.

It has also filed a request to join the case brought against Israel before the International Court of Justice and suspended all forms of trade with the country.

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Tension in Syria

The hostility between the two regional powers has extended to Syria, which has been under Israeli bombardment for weeks, coinciding with the rise of the new administration in Damascus.

In recent days, Israel launched strikes in Syria targeting “military capabilities and infrastructure” in Damascus and central regions, along with a ground operation in Daraa province (south).

Israel warned Syrian President Ahmed al-Shar that he would pay a “heavy price” if its security interests in Syria were threatened.

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Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar voiced his country’s “concern” over Turkey’s role in Syria. Responding to a question, he said, “We do not believe Syria should be a Turkish protectorate,” as he put it.

Turkey describes the Israeli strikes as violations of Syrian territory, while Israel asserts it will not tolerate the presence of hostile forces in Syria.

When asked about former U.S. President Donald Trump‘s threats of military strikes against Iran, Fidan stressed that “diplomacy is necessary to resolve the conflict” and that Ankara “does not want to see any attack” on its neighbor Iran.

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